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Dividing a 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 received

Estate Cleanouts and Selling a House in Texas A house packed with a lifetime of belongings is a common situation and rarely the one people plan for. It usually arrives with a death in the family, a move to assisted living, or a long decline nobody wanted to confront. The first thing worth saying is that the contents do not have to be resolved before you decide what to do with the property. Sellers routinely delay for months, paying taxes, insurance and utilities on

What Happens When Texas Property Taxes Go Unpaid 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 a

Inheriting a Texas House With Your Siblings 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 there was no will

What Municipal Liens Do to a Texas Home Sale Code enforcement problems tend to accumulate quietly. A citation for tall grass or an inoperable vehicle feels minor, and it usually is, right up until the city abates the condition itself and charges the cost against the property. That is the mechanism worth understanding. When a municipality mows a lot, boards a structure, or clears debris after an owner has failed to comply, it can assess the cost and, on filing, create a l

Fire 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

Selling a House You Cannot Empty A house packed with a lifetime of belongings is a common situation and rarely the one people plan for. It usually arrives with a death in the family, a move to assisted living, or a long decline nobody wanted to confront. The first thing worth saying is that the contents do not have to be resolved before you decide what to do with the property. Sellers routinely delay for months, paying taxes, insurance and utilities on an empty house, be

Behind 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