Struck-Off Properties and Tax Resales in Texas
Struck-Off Properties and Tax Resales in Texas
Information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the current statute or rule and talk to a Texas attorney before you act.
Not every Texas tax-sale property finds a buyer on sale day. When no one bids at least the minimum, the property is "struck off" (also called "bid off") to the taxing unit that brought the suit. The taxing unit then owns it, in trust for all the units in the judgment, and tries to sell it again later. These later sales are called resales. They are a large and often overlooked part of the Texas tax-sale market.
How a property gets struck off
At the first sale, the opening bid is generally the lesser of the property's adjudged value (its market value in the judgment) or the total of the judgments against it (Tax Code §33.50, §34.01). If no one bids that much, the officer bids the property off to the taxing unit for that amount (§34.01).
Common reasons a property gets no bid:
- the judgment total or adjudged value is higher than what bidders think it is worth;
- the property is a sliver, landlocked lot, drainage strip or other hard-to-use parcel;
- it is in poor condition, or a structure is unsafe;
- it has title problems, such as unserved heirs or a federal tax lien;
- it is in a small rural county with few bidders.
How big the struck-off pool is
Struck-off property piles up. On October 16, 2026, the public Texas tax-sale list posted by the law firm Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson showed 4,144 Texas records, of which 2,147 were struck off. That is one firm's list, not a statewide count; the other collection firms post their own resale lists by county, city or school district.
Who can resell it, and how
The taxing unit that holds the property may resell it by public or private sale (§34.05):
| Route | Rule |
|---|---|
| Public resale | The unit, by resolution, may ask the sheriff or a constable to sell it at a public sale. If the unit hasn't sold it within six months after the redemption period ends, any other taxing unit entitled to proceeds may make that request in writing (§34.05(c)) |
| Private sale, normal minimum | Not for less than the lesser of the market value in the judgment or the total judgments against the property (§34.05(h)) |
| Private sale below that minimum | Allowed only with the consent of each taxing unit entitled to proceeds (§34.05(i)) |
| Above market value | Allowed when the judgments plus later taxes exceed market value and all units consent (§34.05(j)) |
Public resales are usually run on the same first-Tuesday schedule and venue as regular tax sales. In Dallas County, resale property is sold by the sheriff through a live online auction on the first Tuesday of each month, and the county's Property Division manages resales under its Neighborhood Revitalization Program. Harris County says that property that fails to get the minimum bid is struck off and offered later "at a reduced minimum." Some collection firms also post resale lists with a bid form and take written offers on struck-off parcels by mail or email. The method depends on the county and the taxing unit, so read each list's instructions.
What the resale buyer gets
The officer's deed conveys the right, title and interest held by each taxing unit that was a party to the judgment, subject to any remaining right of redemption (§34.05(e)). That means:
- If the redemption period has not ended, the former owner can still redeem from the resale buyer on the usual terms, including the 25% or 50% premium (§34.21(c)). See redemption rights.
- If it has ended, the resale buyer takes the property free of redemption.
- An action attacking a resale must be filed within one year after the resale (§34.05(f)).
Resale property is sold "as is," with no title warranty. The same title questions apply as at a first sale: who was served, which liens were cut off, and whether a federal tax lien survived (26 U.S.C. §7425).
Why resales can be attractive
- Lower prices. Minimums can drop, and private sales below the minimum are possible with all units' consent.
- Redemption may be over. Many struck-off properties have sat long enough that the redemption period has passed.
- Less competition. Resale lists get less attention than headline first-Tuesday sales.
Why they can be traps
- Something stopped bidders the first time. Find out what.
- Carrying costs. Buyers take on future taxes, HOA dues, mowing and code compliance from the deed date.
- City liens and demolition orders. A city may have code-enforcement liens or a demolition order on the parcel (Local Government Code ch. 214). See code violations and substandard buildings.
- Access and use. Small or oddly shaped lots may be unbuildable under setbacks or have no road access.
A short due-diligence list
- Get the cause number and read the judgment and the officer's return.
- Confirm the deed date to the taxing unit and whether redemption is still open.
- Check appraisal-district data for lot size, use code and value.
- Search the county real property records for liens, a lis pendens and any federal tax lien.
- Ask the city about open code cases and liens.
- Look at the parcel on a map and in person.
- Read the resale's terms: bid method, deposit, payment deadline, deed form.
How this shows up in Agentix Data
Agentix Data tracks posted Texas tax-sale, resale and struck-off listings from public sale lists, with sale status, cause number, minimum bid and account. When a listing drops off a source, we keep the date we last saw it, which usually means it was sold, pulled or paid. Where the account matches our appraisal records, the listing is linked to owner and property details, and to any city code-violation cases we carry for Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and McKinney. Coverage varies by source.
Sources
- Tax Code §34.05, resale by taxing unit: https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._tax_code_section_34.05
- Tax Code §34.01, sale of property and bid-off: https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/tax-code/tax-sect-34-01/
- Tax Code §33.50, adjudged value: https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/tax-code/tax-sect-33-50/
- Tax Code §34.21(c), redemption after resale: https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._tax_code_section_34.21
- Tax Code ch. 34 (official): https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TX/htm/TX.34.htm
- 26 U.S.C. §7425, federal tax liens and sales: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/7425
- Local Government Code ch. 214, municipal regulation of housing: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LG/htm/LG.214.htm
- Harris County Tax Office, tax sales: https://www.hctax.net/Property/TaxSales
- Dallas County Public Works, Property Division (tax foreclosure resales): https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/pubworks/property-division.php
- Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson public Texas tax-sale list (counts as of 2026-10-16): https://taxsales.lgbs.com/
General information, not legal or financial advice.