How to Obtain Property Information in Texas

Texas property searches are easy to conduct and often free of charge

Most property information is accessible by the general public. Information provided includes property owner, value, tax liens, neighborhood data, foreclosures, lot and structure size, number of rooms and more. There are a few ways to obtain property information in Texas. Some of these methods are free. Others are provided for a price. Information retained by these sources is subject to change. Each year properties are evaluated for the most recent owner, value and more.

Things You'll Need

• property address
• owner name (optional)

Instructions

1. Visit the county clerks office in which the property is located to obtain property information. For example, Travis County in Texas retains real property records including deeds and tax liens through the Recording Division of the County Clerk. The price to obtain these records begins at $10 to $21 (as of August 2010) and increases depending on how many pages of records exist. Check with your county clerk for pricing.

2. Search online or call the Central Appraisal District in which the property is located. Some appraisal districts provide property information online. Others only provide information by mail or in person. The Dallas Central Appraisal District allows for free online searches at dallascad.org. You must know the address or the name of the owner in order to find information. Information such as property square footage, owner and previous owner, appraisal rate and more can be obtained through an Appraisal District online site or office.

3. Go to the txcountydata.com site to find information on properties in certain counties. Not all counties are listed. Click on the counties link and choose the county you are seeking. The next page will allow you to search by address or owner. The site is a "work in progress" so continue to check back for updates to counties and properties.

4. Purchase Texas property reports through Public Record Finder online. (See Resources for direct link). Public Record Finder provides information such as property value, tax information, neighborhood statistics and more. The price as of August 2010 is $14.95 per Texas property report.

Tips & Warnings

• It's not always accurate, but property information can also be found free of charge through Zillow online.

References

• Travis County: County Clerk's Office
• Travis County: Recording Fees
• Dallas Central Appraisal District
• Texas County Data

Resources

• Public Record Finder: Texas State Public Records