How to Search for Houston Property Records

Property records have a wealth of information, and they are public, so anyone can search for them and get copies. Some of the details you can find are property ownership, deeds, taxes, values, foreclosures, and liens. The ways to search and locate Houston property records include:

County Clerk's Office

Deeds, liens, and other property documents are filed with the county clerk's office where the property resides. Many of the county clerk websites have search portals, making it easy to find records. Most are free, but you may have to pay a small fee if you want to download copies. Harris County, where Houston is, offers this service.

County Appraisal District

Another option for finding tax-related property details is to contact the county appraisal district. Harris County Appraisal District has a website with a great search option. You can perform a basic search by owner, property address, or other filters.

Texas State Library and Archives Commission

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission is also a helpful resource with a lot of searchable information like land grants, deeds, surveys, blueprints, property tax records, maps, and other details.

Houston Court

The Harris County Civil Courthouse, located at 201 Caroline, Suite 320, Houston, TX 77002, is another place where you can find property records. Foreclosures, liens, and cases involving property are stored at the county court clerk's office. Certified copies cost $5 plus $1 per page. Non-certified copies are $1 per page up to 10 pages.

Houston property taxes are ad valorem, meaning they are based on the property's assessed value. Municipalities set tax rates and determine each property owner's portion. These taxes are essential for the Houston economy, as they pay for schools, infrastructure, emergency services (police/fire/EMTs), and other local services.

Houston government officials calculate the budget yearly to provide residents with all the services they need. This budget is the basis for property taxes, so tax rates may fluctuate based on the amount of money required to satisfy the annual budget.

Assessments

The Harris County Tax Collector-Assessor annually assesses all property under its jurisdiction. Once the value of each property has been determined, the collector-assessor can set the tax rate and mail out bills.

Tax assessors conduct assessments in various ways. They might compare properties with similar recent sales or consider the value of income that the property could generate. Once determined, the assessor will set the property tax rate for that property and charge the homeowner. If the homeowner disagrees with the assessed value, they can appeal the decision by using the iFile System and logging a protest. You can also mail your protest to the Harris County Tax Office at 13013 Northwest Freeway or stop in at any HCAD (Harris Central Appraisal District) office. The HCAD has a helpful website with abundant information for property owners and a search tool where you can look up information on your property and find out your tax base, assessed value, and more.

Appraisals

In some cases, the Harris County Tax Collector-Assessor may employ a certified appraiser to perform a professional appraisal to determine the property's value. This is most common with commercial properties or new construction, where little data is available to base the value.

Private individuals, the courts, and estate planners also hire appraisers to value land and buildings for various purposes.

Tax Rates

Houston has an average property tax rate of 0.533640 per $100 of the assessed value. The average tax rate in Harris County is 0.343730. Houston is ranked 35th in the nation for high tax rates, and rates increase most years, sometimes as much as 8%. Tax rates throughout Texas vary considerably when compared to Houston. For example:

• Ames 0.61%
• Bellaire 0.42%
• Deer Park 0.72%
• El Lago 0.53%
• Galena Park 01.04%
• Lake Jackson 0.34%
• Orchard 0.36%
• Sealy 0.42%
• South Houston 0.64%
• Webster 0.32%

Exemptions

Some property owners qualify for tax breaks and exemptions. You must apply for them with the Harris Central Appraisal District. The available exemptions in Houston include:

• Homestead Exemption
• Active-Duty Military Deferral
• Over 65/Disabled Deferral
• Quarter Payment Plan
• Disaster Installment Payment Plan

Once approved, your annual tax bill will be adjusted by your exemption or deferral. A deferral does not mean you don't have to pay; it just puts payment off for a while until your situation changes.

Rather than making you visit your local county building inspector, Houston has set up a government office called the Houston Permitting Center to consolidate permits and licenses in one easy location. You can apply for a permit using this portal, check the status, and download your permit. The available permits in Houston include:

• Commercial Demolition Permit
• Commercial Remodel Permit
• Commercial Repair Permit
• Commercial Site Development Permit
• Earth Hauling Permit
• Paving Permit
• Residential Demolition Permit
• Residential Site Development Permit
• Revision Commercial Structural Permit.

Throughout a construction project, the Houston Permitting Center conducts periodic inspections to ensure all the work complies with local building codes. This includes a final inspection, during which the inspector must sign off on the work before the owner can use the new space.

Houston Texas, has a population of 2.314 million people and 927,100 housing units. The Lone Star State consists of single-family homes, multi-family complexes (apartments), and mobile homes. The average price of homes in Houston is $336,690, and these homes stay on the market for about 75 days. However, home values vary widely based on location. For example, homes in Greater Heights (77007) cost $650,000, and those in Acres Home (77088) are valued at $330,000. Real estate in Alief (77411) averages $202,000, and Greater Uptown (77027) homes go for $357,500. Memorial Park (77056) homes are highly desirable and listed for $511,282.

Twelve percent of Houston housing units are vacant. The median number of rooms per unit is five. Roughly 28% of housing units in Houston were built after 1990.