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 over a family property in Harris County has your name on it, the confusion that comes with it is normal. A lot of people we talk to had no idea the property was tied to them at all.
For many, the first sign is a constable or sheriff’s deputy showing up in person with a citation and a document called an Original Petition. Being handed legal papers at your door is unsettling, and people often assume the worst. In these cases it’s usually just the routine way an unpaid-property-tax matter begins. It’s a civil matter about back taxes, not a criminal charge, and it isn’t a scam.
How does a property you may have never lived in end up in your name? When an owner passes away without probate, their interest generally passes to the next of kin under Texas intestacy laws, while the county’s records still show the original owner. Once the taxes fall far enough behind, a lawsuit is filed, and the county traces the family tree to find living heirs.
The back taxes in Harris County are handled through the Harris County Tax Office (1001 Preston St., Houston, TX 77002; 713-274-8000), and the property’s value is set by the Harris Central Appraisal District. The lawsuit is filed with the Harris County District Clerk and is public record, so you can verify all of it independently before deciding anything.
From there, people generally work with an attorney, look into a payment arrangement on the taxes, or sell their portion of the property — which removes them from the lawsuit without needing the other heirs to agree.
A couple of questions we hear a lot in Harris County:
I don’t live in Houston anymore — do I have to come back to handle this? Usually not. The paperwork that completes a sale of your portion can typically be done with an online notary or a mobile notary who comes to you, wherever you are.
Why is my offer so much smaller than what the property’s worth? In most cases it’s because you own a fractional share, not the whole property, and the back taxes and cost of clearing the title come out of the overall value.
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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