Sell your Forney house as-is

First question: is the house inside Forney's city limits?

Forney had 38,572 residents in the Census Bureau's 2024 estimate, and the whole city lies in Kaufman County. A Forney mailing address does not prove a house is inside the city, though. The city's tax rate page says its posted rates apply to property within the Forney city limits, and that properties with Forney addresses outside the limits pay taxes to different entities. It points those owners to their tax bill or the Kaufman County Tax Office.

Water follows the same line. The city's subdivision water suppliers page says the City of Forney does not provide utilities to subdivisions or areas outside its limits, and it names who does:

So before you call anyone about a final bill or a code letter, find out which side of the line the house is on. It can change which offices you deal with.

Kaufman County offices for the value, the tax bill and the deed

The Kaufman Central Appraisal District sets the value. Its office is at 3950 S. Houston St. in Kaufman, (972) 932-6081. The district's list of taxing entities includes the City of Forney, Forney ISD, Kaufman County, KC Emergency Services District #6 (Forney) and Forney Municipal Management District 1, along with a long run of MUDs and water districts in the county. Your statement shows which ones tax your lot.

If you think the value is too high, the written notice of protest is filed with the appraisal review board, and the board hears it. The usual deadline is May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal notice was delivered, whichever is later (Tax Code 41.44). The district's homepage links to its online protest site.

For who sends the bill, the city's tax page points owners to their tax bill or the county tax office, the Kaufman County Tax Assessor-Collector; the statement names the collector for each unit. Deeds and liens are recorded with the Kaufman County Clerk. If taxes are behind, ask each collector named on your statements for a payoff figure good through the closing date.

Stopping Forney city water when you move out

If the city bills your water, Forney's Utility Billing page links forms for a new service application, a transfer to a new location and a disconnection request. The office is at 402 N. Bois D'Arc St., (972) 552-6645, open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It also takes payments at a drop box there at any hour and by phone at 855-776-4551.

The city's utility FAQ says to stop service with the Disconnect Water/Sewer Service Request form. Houses in the subdivisions in the table above deal with their own water provider instead.

Forney code rules that come up with an empty or older house

Forney's Neighborhood Services division, formerly called Code Enforcement, says it aims for voluntary compliance and treats violation notices and citations as tools of last resort. Its list of common code compliance issues includes several rules worth checking before you sell:

• Grass and weeds. Growth over 8 inches high in the yard or easement, out to the curb line, may be a health or fire safety violation.
• Junk vehicles. A vehicle on the premises for 30 days that can be seen from a public roadway and is inoperative, dismantled, or not currently registered or inspected counts as junked. Ten days are allowed for compliance after notice.
• Additions. Construction permits are required for any addition to property or grounds, including decks, porches, fences, driveways, sidewalks, spas, swimming pools and storage buildings. If an earlier owner added one, ask the city whether a permit is on file.
• Sale signs. Temporary off-site real estate directional signs are allowed on private property only with the property owner's written permission filed at the Community Development Office.

Behind on the mortgage, or settling an estate

Texas foreclosure sales are held on the first Tuesday of the month, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., after a notice posted and filed at least 21 days before (Property Code 51.002). Kaufman County posts the notices on its foreclosures page. Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas covers Kaufman County from its Waxahachie office, (972) 923-3344 or toll-free (866) 614-3344, with legal help for people who qualify.

When an owner dies, probate is opened in the county where that person lived, which is not always Kaufman County even for a Forney house (Estates Code 33.001). For someone who lived in Kaufman County, the clerk's courts department serves as clerk for the County Court at Law and County Court at Law 2, keeps the probate and guardianship case files, issues letters testamentary and posts a small estate affidavit form. A Texas probate attorney can tell you which path fits.

Selling your Forney house to Cash Home Advisors

You can sell the house as-is, without making repairs. We pay all closing costs, and we can close in 7–14 days. Se habla español.

Fill out the short form or read how it works. If the house is part of an estate, see selling an inherited house in Texas; if it sits empty, our post on utilities in a vacant house may help.

Local offices for this area

• Kaufman Central Appraisal District
• Kaufman County Tax Assessor-Collector
• Kaufman County Clerk
• City of Forney Utility Billing
• City of Forney Neighborhood Services (code compliance)
• Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Waxahachie office (serves Kaufman County)

ZIP codes we buy in: 75126