Selling a Highland Park House

What the Town code calls substandard

Article 3.17 of the Town of Highland Park code, Substandard Buildings, exists to require the repair or removal of dilapidated or substandard structures. It lists twenty-seven conditions that can make a building substandard when they create a hazard to public health, safety and welfare or a danger to the people inside. A few that come up when an older house is being sold:

• lack of hot or cold running water to plumbing fixtures;
• a deteriorated or inadequate foundation, or framing members that sag, split or buckle;
• hazardous or defective wiring, plumbing or mechanical equipment;
• infestation by insects, vermin or rodents;
• partial destruction or damage by fire that has gone unrepaired for more than thirty days.

The code names the Assistant Director of Town Services, or another person the Town Administrator designates, as the Building Official who enforces the article.

From notice to a Town Council hearing

When the Building Official finds a substandard building, section 3.17.003 requires a notice to the record owner. It must give the street address and legal description, describe the conditions found, and state what action is required. The owner, or the person in charge, then has fifteen days from the date of the notice to secure permits and begin the work, and must finish within the time the Building Official decides is reasonable.

If the work has not started within fifteen days, section 3.17.005 has the Building Official post every entrance with a notice that reads, in part, "SUBSTANDARD BUILDING. It is a misdemeanor to occupy this building or to remove or deface this notice." The Town Council is then asked to consider a public hearing on repair, removal or demolition. If the Council sets one, it is held no fewer than ten and no more than sixty days from the date it is set.

Liens that hold up utilities and permits

If the Town does the work, sections 3.17.006 through 3.17.008 explain how the cost follows the lot:

1. The cost becomes a special assessment and a lien on the property, with eight percent interest from the date the Town incurs the expense.
2. The code calls these liens privileged and second only to tax liens and liens for street improvement, and it authorizes the Town Attorney to sue to foreclose.
3. The Town Secretary files a notice of the assessment and lien in the county deed records.
4. No utility service, building permit or certificate of occupancy is allowed for the property until the Town releases the lien and the assessment is paid.

That last rule matters to anyone buying the lot, since a new owner cannot get water or a permit while the lien stands. Ask the Town for a payoff and get the release recorded with the Dallas County Clerk, whose Recording Division records deeds, liens and releases.

Sewer charges on an empty house

Article 13.02 of the code, Service Regulations, covers water, sewer and refuse accounts. The application form asks for the address of the premises, the customer's name and address, and the name and address of the owner, and the applicant agrees to pay all water, sewer and sanitation charges (section 13.02.003).

Section 13.02.005 adds a rule for empty houses: the sewer charge is billed monthly with the water bill, and there is no abatement of the sewer charge because a dwelling or structure connected to the Town's sewer system is vacant. Plan for that bill in every month the house sits unsold. The ecode360 page for this article also lists a newer ordinance that amends it, so confirm the current rules and charges with the Town before you budget.

County offices for a Highland Park sale

The Census Bureau's 2024 estimate puts Highland Park at 8,762 residents, and the Census lists only Dallas County for the town. The county side of a sale runs through these offices:

• Dallas Central Appraisal District: appraisals and homestead exemptions, with informal review and the uFILE online protest. A formal written protest goes to the appraisal review board under Tax Code section 41.44.
• Dallas County Tax Office: its list of cities it collects for under contract includes Highland Park, and its school district list includes Highland Park ISD. Records Building, 500 Elm Street, Suite 3300; (214) 653-7811.
• Dallas County Clerk, Recording Division: deeds, liens and releases, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays; (214) 653-7099.

Selling to Cash Home Advisors

Cash Home Advisors buys houses in Highland Park. You can sell as-is without making repairs, we pay all closing costs, and we can close in 7–14 days. A Town lien or open notice still has to be resolved, so ask the Town about its status early. Use the offer form, see how it works, or read our guide to selling a house that needs repairs.

Local offices for this area

• Dallas Central Appraisal District
• Dallas County Tax Office (jurisdictions it collects for)
• Dallas County Clerk, Recording Division
• Highland Park Code: Substandard Buildings (Art. 3.17)
• Highland Park Code: Utility Service Regulations (Art. 13.02)

ZIP codes we buy in: 75205