Selling a Celina House on Either Side of the County Line

Two counties, one city: start with the county line

Celina had about 51,661 residents in 2024, according to the Census Bureau. The city lies in two counties, Collin County and Denton County. Which county your lot is in decides which appraisal district values it, which clerk holds the deed and which justice court hears a landlord case.

Denton County's appraisal districts page puts the rule plainly: since 2008, each district's boundary is the county line, so you contact the district for the county the property is in, whether the question is value, exemptions or a protest. Your most recent appraisal notice names the district, and you can also search the address on the Collin Central Appraisal District site.

Collin County side

The Collin district's tax rate and exemption table lists the Collin County Tax Office as collector for Celina City and Celina ISD, and also for Celina MMD #2, which the table lists as a management district. Special districts like that one can show up on a statement, so read every line. The county tax office mails statements in October, and payment by January 31 avoids penalties. Deeds go to the Collin County Clerk in McKinney.

Denton County side

The Denton County Tax Assessor-Collector takes questions at 940-349-3500 and can send statements by email. Read your statement to see which entities it bills for. The Denton County Clerk, at 1450 E. McKinney St. in Denton, keeps the county's real property records and offers free fraud alert registration for property owners.

Celina city rules: rentals, yards and water

Celina's own city rules count too, on either side of the county line. Three of them come up often when a house changes hands.

• Rental registration. The city's rental registration and inspection page says every home in Celina that is not owner-occupied must be registered as a rental, with the registration renewed each January. An inspection is required each time a tenant moves out, before a new one moves in, and the owner is responsible for scheduling it. If you are selling a house you have rented out, ask the Code Services Division whether the registration and inspections are current.
• Yard, trees and bulk trash. Celina's code enforcement page sets a 12-inch limit for grass and weeds in front, back and side yards and in the right-of-way. Limbs over the street must be trimmed back to the curb and at least 14 feet above the ground; limbs over a sidewalk go to the sidewalk's edge and up to eight feet above it. During a cleanout, bulk trash should not go to the curb earlier than two days before the scheduled collection day.
• Water account. The city's Utility Billing Department bills water, wastewater and refuse service. Its page has a Cancel Service link, and Utility Customer Service answers at (945) 362-9006 or ub@celina-tx.gov. The office is at 142 N. Ohio St.

When a Celina house is inherited

Probate does not follow the house. Under Estates Code 33.001, the case is filed in the county where the person who died lived. Celina's county line makes this easy to get wrong, so check the parent's last home address, not the property tax bill.

• Lived on the Collin side. The case would normally go to the Collin County Probate Court in McKinney. Its probate FAQ says an attorney is required when someone needs to be approved to administer the estate.
• Lived on the Denton side. The case is filed in Denton County. One court there is Probate Court No. 1, at 3900 Morse Street in Denton, a statutory probate court with an elected judge. It probates wills and declares the heirs of people who die without one. The court posts its policies and positions for estates where the person died with a will and without one, and it warns that it does not ask for Social Security numbers over the phone. Its staff can be reached at 940-349-2140, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A family that cannot afford a lawyer can apply to Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas: the McKinney office serves Collin County (972-542-9405), and the Denton office serves Denton County (940-383-1406). Our guide to selling an inherited house covers what happens once someone has authority to sign.

Selling with a tenant still in the house

If you are selling a Celina rental and the tenant will not move, the case goes to a justice of the peace court, and the county line matters here too. On the Collin side, the county's civil suits page says each eviction must be filed in the precinct where the property is located, and the justice of the peace page has a precinct map. On the Denton side, the county's justice of the peace page points you to its precinct search to find the right court, and warns against contacting a judge by mail, email, phone or in person about any pending or potential lawsuit. Legal Aid's McKinney office lists a JP3 Collin County eviction clinic at 920 E. Park Blvd. in Plano every Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon, with walk-ins accepted.

Once the tenant is out, the house may sit empty until closing. Our note on vacant rental risks covers what to watch in that gap.

Selling your Celina house to Cash Home Advisors

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Local offices for this area

• Collin Central Appraisal District
• Denton County: Appraisal Districts
• Collin County Probate Court
• Denton County Probate Court No. 1
• Denton County Justice of the Peace Precincts
• City of Celina Water Billing

ZIP codes we buy in: 75009, 75078