Can an HOA Foreclose on Your House in Texas A homeowners association in Texas has more authority than most owners realize. Unpaid assessments are not merely a billing dispute, and in some circumstances an association can foreclose on the lien securing them. The authority comes from the recorded declaration, the document filed in the county property records that created the subdivision's covenants. When you bought, you took title subject to it. That declaration typically
Read more about What a Texas HOA Can Do About Unpaid DuesSelling a North Texas House With Foundation Problems Foundation movement is close to a regional condition across North Texas. The expansive clay soils under much of Dallas, Fort Worth and the surrounding suburbs swell when wet and shrink when dry, and slab foundations move with them. Buyers here know this, which cuts both ways. Because it is common, a foundation issue is not automatically a deal breaker in this market. What buyers react badly to is uncertainty. A documen
Read more about Selling a North Texas House With Foundation ProblemsWhat Happens to the House in a Texas Divorce In a divorce the house is usually the largest asset and the one with the most strings attached. Texas is a community property state, which shapes the whole question in ways that surprise people who have moved here from elsewhere. The first distinction is between community property and separate property. Broadly, what either spouse acquired during the marriage is community property. What one spouse owned before the marriage, or
Read more about Selling the Marital Home During a Texas DivorceSelling the Marital Home During a Texas Divorce In a divorce the house is usually the largest asset and the one with the most strings attached. Texas is a community property state, which shapes the whole question in ways that surprise people who have moved here from elsewhere. The first distinction is between community property and separate property. Broadly, what either spouse acquired during the marriage is community property. What one spouse owned before the marriage,
Read more about What Happens to the House in a Texas DivorceBehind on Property Taxes in Texas Texas has no state income tax and funds local government substantially through property tax, which makes the property tax lien unusually powerful here. If you are behind, the position is serious, but it is also more workable than most people assume. The lien attaches automatically on January 1 each year for that year's taxes. It is not something the county has to file to create. Taxes are generally due by January 31, and amounts unpaid o
Read more about What Happens When Texas Property Taxes Go UnpaidSelling a North Texas House With Foundation Problems Foundation movement is close to a regional condition across North Texas. The expansive clay soils under much of Dallas, Fort Worth and the surrounding suburbs swell when wet and shrink when dry, and slab foundations move with them. Buyers here know this, which cuts both ways. Because it is common, a foundation issue is not automatically a deal breaker in this market. What buyers react badly to is uncertainty. A documen
Read more about Foundation Repair and Selling a House in North TexasWhen You and Your Siblings Inherit a House in Texas Inheriting a house with brothers and sisters turns a property question into a family one. The legal side is usually more straightforward than people expect. The hard part is that every heir has to agree, and nothing moves until they do. Start by establishing who actually owns the property. If there was a will and it went through probate, the executor's authority is on record and the chain of title is clean. If ther
Read more about Inheriting a Texas House With Your SiblingsFire or Storm Damage and Selling a House in Texas Hail, wind and fire claims are routine in Texas, and an open claim complicates a sale in ways that are manageable if you understand who is owed what. The central question is who receives the claim proceeds. If there is a mortgage, the lender is typically named on the policy and the check is usually issued jointly. Lenders commonly hold the funds and release them in stages as repairs are completed and inspected. This is wh
Read more about Fire or Storm Damage and Selling a House in Texas