Ellis County, TX tax sales
How tax lien certificate and tax deed sales work in Ellis County, seat of Waxahachie: sale calendar, auction platform, over-the-counter lists, and the offices that run each sale.
Verified Jul 27, 2026 against official county and state sources.
New here? Read how Texas tax sales work, the difference between a lien and a deed, and redemption periods.
How Ellis County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
Details are being verified for this county.
Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Ellis County Sheriff's Office
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- "First Tuesday of every month at 10:00 a.m." per the Ellis County Tax Office tax sales page. The auction platform's FAQ adds: "The sales are conducted beginning at 10:00 a.m. CT and continue until all bidding is complete. All sales will cease at 2:00 p.m. CT on the day of the sales and any sales not completed may be reposted for a future date."
Registration and deposit
Register online at the county's RealForeclose site. The platform states: "Anyone may bid on the properties by registering on this site at least five (5) business days before the auction. One account will be established for each bidder." A deposit equal to 10% of the bidder's intended total bid must be settled and allocated to Ellis County before the auction opens. Deposits are funded by wire transfer or ACH debit (electronic check); cash deposits and international funds are not accepted. Wire deposits must be received by 4 p.m. CT two business days before the auction, and ACH deposits must be initiated by 3 p.m. CT five business days before the auction. Bidding runs by proxy, with the system advancing bids in $100 increments up to the bidder's stated maximum. The balance of a winning bid is due by 3:00 p.m. CT on the day of the auction.
Ellis County runs its tax foreclosure sales entirely online, not in person. The platform states: "Tax sales are now conducted entirely online via this web site. It is no longer necessary to appear in person to participate in the sale." Online bidding is authorized under Texas Tax Code sections 34.01(a-1) and 34.05(d) by a Resolution To Allow Online Auctions For Tax Foreclosure Sales, Tax Resales And to Adopt Rules Governing Online Auctions, adopted by the Ellis County Commissioners Court on February 21, 2023 and recorded as instrument number 2304804 in the county's Official Real Property Records. The site states: "The tax foreclosure sale is conducted by the Ellis County Sheriff's Office, facilitated by Realauction.com, LLC." Winning bidders receive an ordinary sheriff's deed without warranty, express or implied; title is not guaranteed and title insurance may be difficult to obtain. Allow 3 to 5 weeks for the deed to issue. All property purchased at the sale is subject to the statutory right of redemption, and post-judgment taxes accrued since the foreclosure judgment may fall to the buyer. The county may pull a property from the auction at any time without notice. The bidder letter is signed by Sheriff Brad Norman and directs sale-process questions to Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson at (972) 923-5154, with Realauction customer service at (877) 361-7325. Property listings are published by the delinquent tax law firm at taxsales.lgbs.com. Separately, the Ellis County Tax Office sells its own delinquent tax roll for $40.00 cash, requested on its Tax Data Requests form.
Register on RealAuctionOver-the-counter (leftover) purchases
Texas has no over-the-counter certificate list. Parcels that draw no sufficient bid are struck off to the taxing unit that requested the order of sale, and that unit may resell them at any time by public or private sale. A public resale requested through the sheriff or constable may be sold for any amount. A private sale generally may not go below the lesser of the market value stated in the judgment or the total judgments against the property, unless every taxing unit entitled to proceeds consents. Ask the county or its delinquent-tax law firm for the current struck-off inventory.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.
County offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Notes for Ellis County
- County seat is Waxahachie. The Tax Assessor-Collector is Richard Rozier, and office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Mailing address for the Ellis County Tax Office is P.O. Box 188, Waxahachie, TX 75168; the physical office is at 302 N Monroe Street, Waxahachie, TX 75165. Fax is 972-825-5151 and email is [email protected].
- The Tax Office also staffs branches in Red Oak (101 Live Oak St), Ennis (207 South Sonoma Trail) and Midlothian (661 Aspen Pkwy, Suite 100).
- Division of labor: the Sheriff's Office conducts the sale, Realauction.com hosts the online auction, and Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP acts as delinquent tax counsel, posting the property list and taking payment.
- The Ellis County Sheriff's Office website (elliscountysheriff.com) carries no tax sale information. The Tax Office page and the county's RealForeclose site are the authoritative sources.
- Official sources differ slightly on when bidding closes: the RealForeclose FAQ says sales cease at 2:00 p.m. CT, while Linebarger's county record says 4:00 p.m. CT. Both agree on the 10:00 a.m. CT start.
- Neither county page spells out the Texas Tax Code section 34.015 written statement of no delinquent taxes. Bidders should confirm that requirement with the Tax Office before registering.
Texas statewide rules
- Redemption
- The redemption clock runs from the date the purchaser's deed is filed for record, not from the sale date. Property that was the owner's residence homestead or was land designated for agricultural use when the suit or the warrant application was filed, and any mineral interest, may be redeemed on or before the second anniversary of that filing. Every other property may be redeemed only through the 180th day after the deed is filed. When a parcel is struck off to a taxing unit instead, the period runs from the date the taxing unit's deed is filed for record. The former owner has no right to use, possess, or collect rent from the property while the redemption right runs, and the right of redemption cannot be sold or transferred: any instrument purporting to transfer it is void.
- Deed deposit
- The Tax Code sets no statewide deposit and no buyer premium. Section 34.01 directs the officer to conduct the sale the way similar property is sold under execution, so payment terms are set locally by the officer who runs the sale. Most Texas counties collect the full bid in cash or by cashier's check on the day of the sale. Confirm the terms with the county before you bid.
- Homestead deeds
- Texas sets no separate opening bid for a homestead. What changes on a homestead parcel is the exit: a residence homestead, land designated for agricultural use when the suit or warrant application was filed, and a mineral interest all carry a two-year redemption right instead of 180 days, and the premium the owner pays can reach 50 percent in the second year. Price a homestead parcel for that longer clock.
- Surplus proceeds
- The officer pays any excess proceeds to the clerk of the court that issued the order of sale. The clerk holds the excess for two years after the sale and notifies the former owner when the amount exceeds $25. A claim must be filed before the second anniversary of the sale. The court pays established claims in statutory priority: a purchaser at a sale later adjudged void, taxing units for post-judgment or omitted taxes, other lienholders, taxing units for unsatisfied judgment amounts, and then the former owner. Anything unclaimed is distributed to the taxing units.
A tax deed does not convey marketable title. Most buyers file a quiet title action before they can resell or insure the property. See the due diligence guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Ellis County, Texas sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Ellis County follows Texas's redeemable deed state system.
How often does Ellis County hold tax deed sales?
- annual. Each sale is scheduled and advertised in advance, so check the county's tax deed calendar for the next posted date.
Tax Sale Atlas publishes educational information about public tax sale processes. This is not legal, financial, or investment advice. Rules, dates, and fees change; confirm with the county office before you bid.
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