Sell your Denison house as-is

Denison's county, appraisal and tax offices

The Census Bureau's 2024 estimate put Denison at 26,446 people. Denison is a Grayson County city, and the county offices it relies on are in Sherman:

The same directory lists the City of Denison among the units the appraisal district appraises for.

Opening, moving or shutting off Denison water

Water accounts in Denison go through the city's utility billing office, and its service requests page spells out what each step takes:

• New account. A $135 deposit and connection fee for residential accounts, payment of any past-due balances, a photo ID and proof of legal tenancy. A lease works, and so does a closing disclosure, warranty deed or other proof of ownership.
• Transfer within the city. A $30 transfer fee is billed to the new account, and the old account can stay active for up to 30 days after the new one connects.
• Shut-off. Fill out a Disconnect Request online or at City Hall, 300 W Main. The city takes a final reading, processes the bill against the deposit and forwards any balance or credit to the address you give.

The page calls it very important to submit the request so you can be sure service is shut off. On a vacant house you are selling, file it with a forwarding address so the final bill or refund reaches you.

Denison's rental registration is voluntary

Denison's rental registration program (Chapter 13, Article VII, Part D of the code) is optional. Section 13-213 says owners of residential rental units may choose to register, and the city charges no application or registration fee. For a registered single-family rental, section 13-215 lists four benefits: a 50 percent discount on special trash collections (up to two pickups a year), a waiver of the $35.00 temporary water fee, a 50 percent discount on any city permit needed to repair the unit, and access to information about prospective tenants to the extent allowed by law.

If you sell a registered rental, section 13-216 applies: the registration does not transfer to the buyer, and the previous owner shall notify the city of the change of ownership within ten (10) days of closing. A new owner who wants the benefits has to apply and register.

A tenant who will not pay or leave

If a tenant in a Denison rental stops paying or will not leave, the eviction goes to justice court. Property Code 24.0041 puts an eviction suit in the justice precinct where the property is located, and section 24.005 generally calls for at least three days' written notice to vacate before filing, unless a written lease sets a different period (Property Code chapter 24).

Grayson County's site lists four justice of the peace precincts. The Precinct 1 page links eviction instructions and forms, landlord and tenant information and a writ of possession request, so it is a good place to read the steps; confirm with the court which precinct covers the address before you file.

People who qualify can get legal help from the Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas McKinney office, whose page lists Grayson among the five counties it serves. Our post on vacant rental risks covers the period after a tenant leaves.

Unsafe structures and Denison's assessment lien

Part B of the same chapter covers dangerous and unsafe structures. Under section 13-155, the building official delivers a written notice describing the conditions and ordering repair, vacation and repair, or demolition by a specific date, then sets a hearing before the city council with notice posted and served at least ten (10) days ahead. To find owners, mortgagees and lienholders, the official searches Grayson County real property, appraisal district and assumed name records, Secretary of State records when the owner or lienholder is a business, and the city's tax and utility records, and has a title company run a title search.

If an order is not obeyed, section 13-159 lets the city repair or demolish. The council-confirmed cost becomes a special assessment lien that takes priority over all other liens except tax liens and/or paving assessment liens. It is filed with the county clerk in the deed records and bears interest at ten (10) percent per annum from filing until paid. An assessment can only be contested within thirty (30) days after it is confirmed.

Next steps with Cash Home Advisors

Cash Home Advisors can buy the Denison house as-is; you do not have to make repairs first. We pay all closing costs, and we can close in 7–14 days. Se habla español.

Start on the get-an-offer page, see how it works, or read about selling a house that needs repairs.

Local offices for this area

• Grayson Central Appraisal District
• Texas Comptroller, Grayson County appraisal and tax office directory
• Grayson County Clerk, Real Property Records
• Grayson County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1
• City of Denison Utility Billing Service Requests
• Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, McKinney office (serves Grayson County)

ZIP codes we buy in: 75020