Kaufman County, TX tax sales
How tax lien certificate and tax deed sales work in Kaufman County, seat of Kaufman: 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 Kaufman County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
Details are being verified for this county.
Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Kaufman County Sheriff's Office (the county page states "The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office Tax Sales have moved out of the courtroom, and onto the internet"), with the Kaufman County Tax Assessor-Collector issuing the bidder Written Statement required before a deed will be issued
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Monthly on the first Tuesday, online. The county page states: "Online Tax Sales are held on the first Tuesday of every month if there is property to sell starting at 10 a.m. If there are no properties to sell at this time there will not be a sale on those Tuesdays." The platform FAQ adds: "The sales are conducted between 10:00 a.m. CT and 4:00 p.m. CT."
Registration and deposit
Register on the RealForeclose site using the "Register" link on the left side of the page. The platform FAQ says anyone may bid but must register "at least five (5) business days before the auction," with one account per bidder. Fund an escrow account by ACH or wire and allocate a deposit equal to 5% of your intended maximum bid to Kaufman County before the sale starts; ACH takes about five business banking days and wires about 48 hours to settle. Separately, a Written Statement (bidder certificate) confirming no delinquent taxes are owed in Kaufman County is required: download the Request for Written Statement from the External Links section of the auction site, complete and notarize it, then mail it to Kaufman County Tax Office, PO Box 339, Kaufman, TX 75142 or email it to [email protected], with a $10 check payable to Teressa Floyd, Tax Assessor-Collector. Allow three to five business days. The statement is valid 90 days and must be on file before the sale date. The FAQ warns a "Sheriff's deed will NOT be issued without a valid Written Statement on file."
Kaufman County sells redeemable tax deeds entirely online through RealForeclose. The platform FAQ confirms "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." Opening bids start at "taxes due plus interest and penalties and other expenses incurred in making the sale," and parcels are auctioned in foreclosure file number order. The county describes the buyer as receiving "a tax sale certificate that is valid for two years, unless the property is redeemed," which reflects the Texas redeemable-deed structure. Winning bidders must deliver the balance by 4:00 p.m. CT on sale day by wire or ACH, and the Sheriff issues the deed in roughly three to five weeks. The FAQ states the buyer gets "an ordinary type of sheriff's deed which is WITHOUT WARRANTY, express or implied. Title to property is NOT guaranteed," that title insurance may be hard to obtain, that every property stays subject to the prior owner's statutory right of redemption, and that the buyer takes title subject to any post-judgment taxes. The county may pull properties from the auction at any time, and parcel detail is visible only after bidders log in. Realauction customer service: 1 (877) 361-7325. No county-published struck-off or resale list was found on the official site.
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)
Kaufman County Tax Assessor-Collector (Teressa Floyd)
Kaufman County Courthouse Annex, 100 N Washington St, Kaufman, TX 75142 (Written Statement requests mail to Kaufman County Tax Office, PO Box 339, Kaufman, TX 75142)
Official websiteNotes for Kaufman County
- The sale is a Sheriff's sale, but the bidder-eligibility paperwork runs through the Tax Assessor-Collector, so allow three to five business days plus the $10 fee for the Written Statement before your first auction.
- Sales happen only in months where there is property to sell, so the first-Tuesday cadence is a ceiling, not a guarantee. Check the RealForeclose auction calendar before wiring funds.
- Deposit mechanics are the practical gate: 5% of your intended maximum bid must be settled and allocated to Kaufman County before 10:00 a.m. CT on sale day, and ACH funding takes about five business banking days.
- The Tax Assessor-Collector also runs branch offices in Forney (200 E Main St, 469-376-4600), Terrell (408 E College St, 469-376-4728), and Kemp (103 N Main St, 469-376-4626).
- The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office public site (kaufmanso.com) carries no tax sale section. All sale information is published on the county Tax Assessor pages and the RealForeclose portal.
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 Kaufman County, Texas sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Kaufman County follows Texas's redeemable deed state system.
How often does Kaufman 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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