Selling a house in Ennis

Ellis County offices for an Ennis property

Ennis is an Ellis County city, and the Census Bureau's 2024 estimate counts roughly 24,753 people in the city. The county records behind a sale here come from the offices below, and the tax office keeps a branch in town.

• Ellis Appraisal District. The district sets the value and keeps the owner of record. The tax office's FAQ sends name and mailing-address corrections there, not to the collector. A value protest is a written notice to the appraisal review board under Tax Code § 41.44; the district's portal has a "File Your Protest" link.
• Ellis County Tax Office, Ennis branch. The tax office lists a branch at 207 South Sonoma Trail (972-825-5390), open weekdays 8:00 to 4:30. The City of Ennis appears on its collections-by-entity sheet as one of the taxing units the county collects for.
• Tax certificate. The tax office's property page says certificates are sold only at the Waxahachie office, for $10.
• Recording. The deed is recorded by the Ellis County Clerk at 109 S. Jackson St. in Waxahachie. The clerk's page lists recording fees of $25 for the first page and $4 for each additional page, and the Recording Division page notes that documents can also be sent through approved eRecording vendors.

The water account closes in person

In Ennis, stopping water service takes a visit to City Hall. The city's Utility Billing FAQ says that to disconnect service you must visit the office in person, at City Hall, 107 N. Sherman St., Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The deposit on file is applied to your final bill; any credit left over is refunded, and any balance still owed has to be paid to the City. Transfers are handled the same way: in person only.

The new owner needs a valid Texas driver's license or Texas ID, an application for service and a deposit, which the FAQ sets at $100 for residential and rental properties alike. If a leak turns up during the sale, the city's Utility Billing page says a problem on the customer's side of the meter needs a licensed plumber; the city handles its own side. After hours, the emergency line listed there is 972-875-4465.

Building appeals and the commission that hears them

In Ennis, the people who rule on building standards are the same people who sit on the planning commission. The city's Building Standards Commission page explains that under Section 5-26 of the Code of Ordinances, the Planning and Zoning Commissioners serve as the Building Standards Commission. Section 5-30 gives that body the duties of the housing, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and building appeal boards named in the codes it cites. If a house you own has an open building or code case, ask the Planning and Development office whether it would go before the commission and when the commission meets.

The page's contact block, under Planning and Development, gives 108 W. Knox St., (972) 875-6442, open weekdays 8 to 5, and its staff list includes the building official and two inspectors. The city's staff directory lists several Code Enforcement & Animal Control officers, including a senior code enforcement officer. If a house has an open code case, ask them what is still unresolved.

Taxes, a lender's sale, renters and estates

A tax bill that stopped arriving. If the mortgage company requests the statement, the tax office's FAQ says the owner will not receive one; once escrow ends, call the office and ask for a statement mailed to you. Statements go out in October, and unpaid taxes become delinquent February 1. A monthly installment agreement is available only after that date, and only for delinquent taxes. The FAQ also explains that unpaid taxes can lead to a tax lien foreclosure suit in District Court, and after a judgment the delinquent tax attorney, with the tax office's approval, can move to a tax sale.

A lender's foreclosure. Property Code § 51.002 sets the sale for the first Tuesday of a month, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., at the courthouse of the county where the land is located, after at least 21 days' notice posted at the courthouse door and filed with the county clerk. Our foreclosure page walks through what can still be done before that date.

Renters and estates. Evictions go to the justice court for the precinct where the house is (Property Code § 24.004). For an estate, probate belongs in the county where the person who died lived (Estates Code § 33.001), which is Ellis County for an Ennis resident. The County Clerk's page lists a Guardianship/Probate Division line, 972-825-5079.

Selling to Cash Home Advisors

If you would rather not fix the house first, you can sell your Ennis house as-is, without making repairs. We pay all closing costs, and we can close in 7–14 days. See how it works, read about utilities at a vacant house, or tell us about the property.

Local offices for this area

• Ellis Appraisal District
• Ellis County Tax Office
• City of Ennis: Utility Billing FAQ
• City of Ennis: Building Standards Commission

ZIP codes we buy in: 75119