Texas real estate auctions

How property auctions work in Texas

A plain-English summary of state rules, with links to the statutes and official pages. It is general information, not legal advice; rules change and each sale has its own terms.

Foreclosure sales: non-judicial "trustee sales"

Most Texas mortgage foreclosures happen without a court case, under the power of sale in the deed of trust. The sale is a public auction held between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month (the first Wednesday when that Tuesday is January 1 or July 4), in the area the county commissioners court designates at or near the courthouse.^[1]

The notice of sale must be posted at the courthouse, filed with the county clerk and mailed to the debtor at least 21 days before the sale. Counties must also post filed notices on their website.^[1]

The price is due on acceptance of the bid unless the trustee agrees to a short delay, and the buyer takes the property "as is" with no warranties except title.^[2][3]

Redemption and surviving liens

Texas gives a right of redemption only for certain kinds of foreclosure, such as tax lien foreclosures and property owners association or condominium assessment liens. A standard deed-of-trust trustee sale is not on that list.^[4]

After a property owners association foreclosure, the owner can redeem until the 180th day after the association mails its post-sale notice.^[5]

Property tax liens generally rank ahead of a deed of trust, so unpaid taxes can survive a mortgage foreclosure sale. Check the tax office balance before you bid.^[6]

Tax foreclosure sales

After a court judgment or tax warrant, the sheriff or a constable sells the property at the courthouse on the first Tuesday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. A county can also allow online tax auctions, which must close at 4 p.m. on the first Tuesday.^[7]

In many counties the winning bidder must show a county statement that they owe no delinquent property taxes before getting a deed.^[8]

Redemption: a former homestead or agricultural property can be redeemed for 2 years after the buyer's deed is recorded (25% premium in year one, 50% in year two). Other property can be redeemed for 180 days, with a premium of up to 25%.^[9]

Online marketplace auctions

Many of the auctions on this page run on online platforms such as RealINSIGHT Marketplace or Tranzon. These are usually sales directed by a lender, receiver or owner (often bank-owned "REO" property), and they follow the platform's own terms, not a state foreclosure statute. Read the terms on each listing: some charge the buyer a premium on top of the winning bid, and a seller may keep the right to accept or reject the high bid.