Note: BCP Real Estate is not a law firm and its employees/owners are not acting as your attorneys. The information contained on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.
If a tax lawsuit tied to a Travis County property has shown up with your name on it, the surprise and confusion are normal. Plenty of people we hear from had no idea they were connected to the property in the first place.
Often the first real notice is in person, a constable or sheriff’s deputy serving you with a citation and an Original Petition. Getting handed legal papers at your door is alarming, and many people’s first thought is that something is seriously wrong or that it can’t be legitimate. In these tax matters, it’s typically just the standard way a civil case over unpaid property taxes begins. It isn’t a criminal charge, and it isn’t a scam.
The cause is usually the same story. When an owner passes away and no probate is filed, ownership passes to the next of kin under Texas intestacy laws, but the county’s records still show the original owner on the deed. Once the taxes are delinquent long enough, the suit is filed and the county traces the family tree, listing the living heirs.
In Travis County, taxes run through the Travis County Tax Office (2433 Ridgepoint Dr., Austin, TX 78754; 512-854-9473), property values are set by the Travis Central Appraisal District, and the case is on record with the Travis County District Clerk. It’s all public, so you can verify the details yourself.
From there, people generally resolve the lawsuit through an attorney, look into a payment arrangement, or sell their portion, which takes them out of the lawsuit without needing the other heirs to agree.
A couple of questions we hear a lot in Travis County:
Property in Austin is worth a lot now. Why isn’t my offer bigger? The offer reflects your fractional share rather than the whole property, and the back taxes and the cost of clearing the title come out of the overall value. A higher property value does generally lift the offer, but it’s still based on your portion.
I’m just one of several heirs. Can I still sell only my share? Yes. You can sell your individual portion on your own, and the other heirs can decide separately what they want to do.
If you’re looking to remove yourself from a lawsuit and get paid for your interest, no cost to you, call or text us at (469) 708-8003 for an offer today.
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