Travis County, Texas — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

Local operations layer. The legal framework (redemption periods, surplus rights, statutes, case law) lives on the parent page → texas. This page covers how Travis County actually runs it. Legal information, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

C0. Identity

• County seat: Austin · Recording unit: county (one of Texas’s 254 counties)
• Population: ~1.3 million (rounded estimate; not a primary-source figure)
• FIPS: 48453
• Parent legal framework: texas — redeemable tax-deed state; judicial delinquent-tax suit → district-court judgment → constable’s sale; excess proceeds under Tex. Tax Code § 34.04.
• Notable local distinction: Travis County is the only major metropolitan Texas county that handles delinquent-tax collection and litigation in-house through the Travis County Attorney’s Office (rather than outsourcing to a private delinquent-tax law firm such as Linebarger or Perdue Brandon). — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/county-attorney/enforcement-litigation-and-collections-division/tax-collections
• Tax Assessor-Collector: Celia Israel (elected 2024). — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/about-us/celia-israel
• Delinquent-tax suits filed by: Travis County Attorney’s Office, Enforcement Litigation & Collections Division — Tax Collections Section. — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/county-attorney/enforcement-litigation-and-collections-division/tax-collections
• Sale officer: Constable, Precinct 5 (Carlos B. Lopez) conducts the judicial tax sale on behalf of the court; other constable precincts handle writ and property sales within their boundaries for mortgage-foreclosure/deed-of-trust sales. — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/constables/5 ; https://www.constable5.com/tax-sales/

C1. Local Tax Sale

• Conducts own sale? Yes — Travis County runs a monthly online auction administered by RealAuction through the RealForeclose platform. Tax suits are filed and prosecuted by the County Attorney (in-house); the Constable executes the sale.
• Auction platform: RealAuction / RealForeclose · Storefront URL: https://travis.texas.realforeclose.com/ — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed
• Calendar: First Tuesday of every month; if the first Tuesday falls on January 1 or July 4, the sale moves to the first Wednesday. Sale window: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. — https://www.constable5.com/tax-sales/ ; Tex. Tax Code § 34.01(r)
• Sale location: Rear of the Travis County Courthouse, 1000 Guadalupe St., Austin, TX 78701 (physical opening; the actual bidding occurs through the RealAuction online platform). — https://www.constable5.com/tax-sales/
• Property listing / pre-sale publication:
  • Properties appear on the RealAuction website approximately 15 days before the sale. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed
  • Properties are listed in the Austin Chronicle newspaper 21 days before the sale (satisfying the statutory 3-week newspaper-publication notice requirement under Tex. Tax Code § 34.01(c)–(g)). — https://www.constable5.com/tax-sales/
• Registration — two required steps (must be completed at least 5 business days before the sale):
  1. RealAuction registration: Create an account at https://travis.texas.realforeclose.com/ and select the exact name to appear on the Constable’s Deed; retain your bidder number. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/faq
  2. Travis County Tax Office registration: Submit the Bidder Registration form with a non-refundable $10 fee online at least five business days before the sale date, via the county’s secure portal (https://secure.go2gov.net/pay/public/tctc/welcome.faces). The Tax Office verifies eligibility and emails approval; a Spanish-language form is also available. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed ; https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/faq
  • Approved registration is valid for one year (no need to re-register for subsequent sales within that period). — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed
• Eligibility requirement: Bidders may not owe any back taxes on any Travis County property at the time of the sale; the Tax Office checks eligibility before issuing approval. This is the statutory Tex. Tax Code § 34.015 “written statement” / bidder-certificate requirement implemented locally. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/faq
• Payment terms: Cash auction — cashier’s check or money order due on the day of sale; (the exact payee name and whether payment is tendered to the Constable or Tax Office on the day of sale is not separately stated in the online documentation — see needs_verification). Payment must cover the full winning bid including taxes, penalties, interest, attorney fees, and court costs for the years used to foreclose; additional delinquent years may appear as “Additional Taxes Due” in the sale listing. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/faq
• Minimum bid: Lesser of (a) the total judgment (delinquent taxes + penalties + interest + court costs) or (b) the adjudged/market value of the property — per Tex. Tax Code § 34.01(b). Set by the district court’s judgment.
• Rate within statutory range: Travis County does not separately set a local rate; the statutory minimum bid formula governs. See texas.
• Deed issued: Constable’s Deed (officer’s deed without warranty) in the exact name given on the RealAuction registration; property sold “as is.” — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/faq
• Delinquent list location:
  • Online (open data): Travis County’s Open Data Portal publishes a Delinquent Parcels dataset — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/open-data-portal/delinquent-parcels (dataset description not fully rendered on retrieval; contact the Tax Office for direct download)
  • Tax Office reports/data page: delinquent tax files in Excel and CSV formats — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/about-us/reports-data/property-taxes (refresh cadence not stated on the page — see needs_verification)
  • Auction listing: available on https://travis.texas.realforeclose.com/ approximately 15 days before the sale; also published in the Austin Chronicle 21 days before. — https://www.constable5.com/tax-sales/
• Struck-off / resale properties:
  • Properties not sold at the tax sale are struck off to the participating taxing units and then offered for resale by the Tax Office. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed (main foreclosed-properties page confirms resale inventory is listed on the Travis RealAuction site)
  • Resale inventory is viewable on the Travis RealAuction website (https://travis.texas.realforeclose.com/) and is updated once per month after the first Tuesday tax sale. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed
  • Bidding requirements (form, ID, payment): (see needs_verification — the Tax Office resales page at https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/resales and the requirements subpage both returned 404 on 2026-06-02; requirements previously sourced from that page are unconfirmed until the page is restored or a replacement URL is identified)
  • Minimum resale bid: (see needs_verification — sourced from the now-404 resales page; confirm directly with the Tax Office)

C2. Local Redemption → framework: right-of-redemption

• Periods inherit from state: 2 years (residence homestead / agricultural-use / mineral interests) or 180 days (all other property), running from the date the Constable’s Deed is filed for record. No local shortening or lengthening identified. — see texas § 34.21.
• Where to redeem locally: Redemption follows the Tex. Tax Code § 34.21 statutory process — the redeeming owner pays the purchaser the bid + deed-recording fee + all taxes/penalties/interest/costs paid by purchaser + the statutory premium (25% in year one; 50% in year two for 2-year property; 25% for 180-day property). If the purchaser cannot be located, tender through the county. See texas for the formula.
• Redemption contact: Travis County Tax Office, Compliance Section — phone (512) 854-9473, email taxoffice@traviscountytx.gov, in-person at 2433 Ridgepoint Dr., Austin, TX 78754 (walk-ins: M–F 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.); mail: P.O. Box 149328, Austin, TX 78714-9328. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/contact-us ; https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/county-directory/travis.php
• Deviations from state default: None identified; local process tracks the statutory premium/cost formula in texas.

C3. Local Surplus / Excess Proceeds → framework: surplus-funds

BUSINESS-CRITICAL — Travis County-specific filing venue and process:

▸ For Investors / Operators — Travis County is the only major Texas metro county that handles delinquent-tax suits in-house through the County Attorney, using the RealForeclose platform (travis.texas.realforeclose.com) with a two-step registration (RealAuction account + $10 Tax Office approval, both at least 5 business days before sale). The Constable’s Deed is issued in the exact name registered on RealAuction; properties sell as-is, and the purchaser is responsible for any delinquent years not included in the judgment. Homestead and agricultural property carry a 2-year right of redemption; all other property 180 days — running from deed recordation (Tex. Tax Code § 34.21).

▸ For Former Owners — Excess proceeds from a Travis County tax-foreclosure sale are deposited into the Travis County District Court Registry (Finance Division, 1700 Guadalupe St., 3rd Floor, Room 3.200, Austin, TX 78701; (512) 854-9457 opt. 8; dcfinance@traviscountytx.gov). A Petition for Release of Excess Proceeds (verified petition) is filed in the specific district court that ordered the sale, using the original cause number. The statutory deadline is 2 years from the date of sale; after that the clerk distributes proceeds to the participating taxing units. Amounts over $25 trigger a certified letter to the former owner within 31 days of deposit; escheated amounts over$100 transfer to the Texas Comptroller’s Unclaimed Property Division.

• Where surplus proceeds are held: Because the tax foreclosure is a district-court proceeding, excess proceeds are deposited into the Travis County District Court Registry, administered by the Finance Division of the Travis County District Clerk’s Office. — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division ; https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division/court-registry
• Claim filing venue: A Petition for Release of Excess Proceeds (verified petition) is filed in the Travis County district court that ordered the sale (using the underlying cause number), through the District Clerk’s Civil Division. This is the court of specific jurisdiction under Tex. Tax Code § 34.04(a). — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk ; https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/civil-division
• District Clerk mailing address: Velva L. Price, Travis County District Clerk, P.O. Box 679003, Austin, TX 78767-9003 — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/contact
• District Clerk physical location (Civil/Family Division): 1700 Guadalupe St., 3rd Floor, Room 3.200, Austin, TX 78701 — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/civil-division
• Finance Division / Court Registry contact (excess-proceeds desk):
  • Address: 1700 Guadalupe St., 3rd Floor, Room 3.200, Austin, TX 78701 (Civil/Family office)
  • Phone: (512) 854-9457, Option 8
  • Email: dcfinance@traviscountytx.gov
  • Hours: M–F 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division ; https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division/court-registry
• Copy of petition must also be served on: the Travis County Attorney’s Office, Collections Division — P.O. Box 1748, Austin, TX 78767, phone (512) 854-9159. — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/county-attorney/enforcement-litigation-and-collections-division/tax-collections (service-on-County-Attorney requirement confirmed by general Texas practice and by the FAQ that petitions must be sent to the County Attorney; see needs_verification for a Travis-specific local court rule or standing order)
• Claim form: A Petition for Release of Excess Proceeds (verified petition). A sample form exists in the Harris County/Texas district court system (see https://www.justex.net/JustexDocuments/63/Petition%20for%20Excess%20Proceeds(SAMPLE).pdf for a Texas-standard sample); Travis County does not appear to publish its own fillable form. Petitioner must draft or obtain the petition separately. For assistance, consult the Travis County Law Library, 1700 Guadalupe St., 2nd Floor, Austin, TX 78701. — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division/court-registry ; search results referencing TX 188033-1 form
• Withdrawal after court order: A signed court order releasing the funds (including payee name, address, and amount) must be presented to the Finance Division. Payment is by check only; processing time is not separately stated for Travis County (see needs_verification).
• Notification: Amounts over $25 trigger a certified letter to the former property owner within 31 days of the deposit. — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division/court-registry
• Local deadline notes: The statutory 2-year window from the date of sale governs (Tex. Tax Code § 34.04(a)); if no valid claim is filed within 2 years, the clerk distributes proceeds to the participating taxing units. No shorter local deadline identified. — see texas § 34.04
• Unclaimed-funds list: No public URL for a Travis County excess-proceeds searchable list was confirmed. To request a list of excess proceeds, contact the District Clerk’s main phone: (512) 854-9457 (a “list of excess proceeds” request is referenced in the FAQ). The Finance Division email is dcfinance@traviscountytx.gov (subject to applicable fees for lists). — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/faq ; https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division/court-registry
• Unclaimed_list_published: needs_verification (no live public list URL confirmed)
• Escheat / unclaimed property: Registry funds over $100 are escheated to the Texas Comptroller's Unclaimed Property Division; amounts under$100 go to the Travis County Treasurer. — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division/court-registry. The court-registry page directs claimants to the Comptroller’s Unclaimed Property Division by mail (P.O. Box 12046, Austin, TX 78711) or phone (800) 321-2274. Escheated funds may also be claimed at ClaimItTexas.gov, which is the Texas Comptroller’s Unclaimed Property online search and claims portal — https://claimittexas.gov/ (ClaimItTexas.gov is not cited on the court-registry page itself; attribution is to the Texas Comptroller Unclaimed Property program, which operates that site; verify the portal URL remains current).
• Recovery-agent rules (statewide): the § 34.04(f) assignment regime (36-day post-deposit waiting period, ≥ 80% payment to assignor, anti-solicitation bar, sworn affidavit) and the § 34.04(i) attorney-fee cap (25% of amount obtained or $1,000, whichever is less) apply statewide, including in Travis County. — see texas § 34.04(f), (i); third-party-recovery-rules

C4. Offices & Contacts

C5. Local Procedure Notes

• Travis County handles tax collection in-house — uniquely among large Texas counties, the Travis County Attorney’s Office (not a private delinquent-tax law firm) files and prosecutes all delinquent-tax suits. The county reports a 98.5% first-year collection rate across 80+ local jurisdictions it consolidates. This means there is no Linebarger or Perdue Brandon storefront for Travis County tax-sale listings; the sales are conducted under the County Attorney’s judgments through Constable Precinct 5 and administered online via RealAuction. — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/county-attorney/enforcement-litigation-and-collections-division/tax-collections
• Online bidding platform (RealAuction) is the controlling format — unlike traditional in-person-only Texas tax sales, Travis County’s sales are conducted through the RealForeclose platform (https://travis.texas.realforeclose.com/). Bidders must register there and also separately with the Tax Office ($10 fee). Both registrations must be completed at least 5 business days before the sale. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed
• Deed is titled in the name chosen at RealAuction registration — bidders must select the exact legal name/entity they want on the Constable’s Deed when creating their RealAuction account. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/faq
• Newspaper publication in the Austin Chronicle (21 days pre-sale) satisfies the Tex. Tax Code § 34.01(c)–(g) publication requirement locally. — https://www.constable5.com/tax-sales/
• Resale inventory updates once per month after the first Tuesday sale; not continuously. — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed (the dedicated /resales page returned 404 on 2026-06-02; this cadence is confirmed by the main foreclosed-properties page)
• Buyer is responsible for post-judgment taxes — the minimum bid covers only years included in the judgment; additional delinquent years appear separately in the listing and remain the purchaser’s obligation.
• Law Library available for self-represented excess-proceeds claimants: Travis County Law Library, 1700 Guadalupe St., 2nd Floor, Austin, TX 78701. — https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division/court-registry

C6. Records Access

• Parcel / appraisal search — Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD): https://traviscad.org/propertysearch/ (free; searchable by owner, address, account number). — https://traviscad.org/
• Recorder / deed search — County Clerk Official Records: https://www.tccsearch.org/ (case data from June 1986; redacted images from December 2005; free unofficial copies; $1.00/page electronic certified copies). — https://countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/departments/recording/search-copies-of-records/
• GIS map: Travis County TNR GeoHub — https://tnr-traviscountytx.hub.arcgis.com/ (Transportation & Natural Resources GIS datasets; parcel viewer). TCAD map search also at https://travis.prodigycad.com/maps. — https://tnr-traviscountytx.hub.arcgis.com/ ; https://travis.prodigycad.com/maps
• Tax payment portal: https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/taxes/account-search (search by name, address, account number; pay online by eCheck, credit/debit card, or PayPal). — https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/taxes/payment-methods/online
• Delinquent parcel / tax-sale property list: https://travis.texas.realforeclose.com/ (listing ~15 days pre-sale); Austin Chronicle newspaper (21 days pre-sale); open data delinquent parcels dataset at https://www.traviscountytx.gov/open-data-portal/delinquent-parcels; delinquent tax data files at https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/about-us/reports-data/property-taxes (refresh cadence not stated on the page — see needs_verification).

C7. Meta

• sources:
  • {type: county_tax_office, url: “https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Travis County Tax Office “Foreclosed Properties” page: RealAuction platform (travis.texas.realforeclose.com), 15-day pre-sale listing, two-step registration ($10 fee at least 5 business days prior), monthly sales, struck-off resales
  • {type: county_tax_office_faq, url: “https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/faq”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — FAQ: RealAuction registration steps, Tax Office $10 registration, eligibility (no back taxes), deed in registered name, minimum bid composition, “as is” sale
  • {type: constable5, url: “https://www.constable5.com/tax-sales/”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Constable Precinct 5 Tax Sales: rear of courthouse (1000 Guadalupe St.), first Tuesday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Austin Chronicle 21 days pre-sale, online 15 days pre-sale, $10 registration at 2433 Ridgepoint Dr., one-year validity
  • {type: county_district_clerk, url: “https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division/court-registry”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Court Registry page: Finance Division address (1700 Guadalupe St. 3F Room 3.200), phone (512) 854-9457 opt.8, email dcfinance@traviscountytx.gov, $25 certified-letter threshold within 31 days, no public list URL (fee for list), escheat: >$100 → Comptroller Unclaimed Property Division (P.O. Box 12046, Austin TX 78711; (800) 321-2274), <$100 → County Treasurer; NOTE: page does not cite ClaimItTexas.gov by name
  • {type: county_district_clerk, url: “https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/finance-division”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Finance Division overview: handles excess-proceeds deposits from tax foreclosures; court registry fund management
  • {type: county_district_clerk_faq, url: “https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/faq”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — FAQ: excess proceeds list available by calling (512) 854-9457
  • {type: county_attorney, url: “https://www.traviscountytx.gov/county-attorney/enforcement-litigation-and-collections-division/tax-collections”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Tax Collections: Travis County Attorney files all delinquent-tax suits in-house (only major Texas metro county to do so); 98.5% first-year collection rate; P.O. Box 1748, Austin TX 78767; (512) 854-9159
  • {type: county_constable, url: “https://www.traviscountytx.gov/constables/5”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Constable Precinct 5 (Carlos B. Lopez): 1003 Guadalupe St., Austin TX 78701; (512) 854-9100
  • {type: county_tax_assessor, url: “https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/contact-us”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Tax Office contact: 2433 Ridgepoint Dr., Austin TX 78754; (512) 854-9473; taxoffice@traviscountytx.gov; M–F 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
  • {type: state_directory, url: “https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/county-directory/travis.php”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Texas Comptroller county directory: confirms Celia Israel as Tax Assessor-Collector, 2433 Ridgepoint Dr., Austin TX 78754-5231; (512) 854-9473; fax (512) 854-9056; taxoffice@traviscountytx.gov
  • {type: county_clerk, url: “https://countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/contact-us/”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — County Clerk (Dyana Limon-Mercado): Recording at 5501 Airport Blvd Austin TX 78751; (512) 854-9188; mail P.O. Box 149325 Austin TX 78714; M–F 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
  • {type: recording, url: “https://countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/departments/recording/search-copies-of-records/”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Official Records Search portal: tccsearch.org; records from June 1986; free unofficial copies online; $1/page for electronic certified
  • {type: appraisal_district, url: “https://traviscad.org/”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD); property search at traviscad.org/propertysearch/
  • {type: tax_payment, url: “https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/taxes/account-search”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Tax payment portal / account search
  • {type: open_data, url: “https://www.traviscountytx.gov/open-data-portal/delinquent-parcels”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Delinquent Parcels open data (page rendered incomplete; dataset confirmed to exist)
  • {type: county_resales, url: “https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/resales”, retrieved: 2026-06-02, status: 404} — Page returned 404 on retrieval; resale inventory confirmed on the main foreclosed-properties page (travis.texas.realforeclose.com); bidding requirements (form, payment, minimum bid) unconfirmed pending page restoration
• needs_verification:
  • Payment mechanics day-of-sale: exact payee name on cashier’s check (Constable? Tax Office?) and whether payment is submitted in person at the courthouse or through RealAuction’s online interface not separately stated on county’s own pages. Contact Constable Precinct 5 at (512) 854-9100 to confirm.
  • Specific excess-proceeds filing checklist / local court rule: Travis County district courts may have a standing order or local rule governing service requirements for Tex. Tax Code § 34.04 petitions (analogous to Bexar’s published Tax Court Policy). Contact the Finance Division (dcfinance@traviscountytx.gov) or the Travis County Law Library (1700 Guadalupe St., 2nd Floor) for any standing order.
  • Excess-proceeds public list URL: the District Clerk FAQ states a list is available by phone request; no publicly searchable online database confirmed. Verify whether any list is posted to the Open Data Portal or the Finance Division website.
  • Resale page and subpages (all 404 as of 2026-06-02): https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/resales, /resales/list, and /resales/requirements-bidding all returned 404 on retrieval. The main foreclosed-properties page confirms struck-off properties are listed on the Travis RealAuction site (travis.texas.realforeclose.com); contact the Tax Office at (512) 854-9473 or taxoffice@traviscountytx.gov to confirm current resale bidding requirements (form, ID, payment terms, minimum bid formula) until a replacement URL is identified.
  • Delinquent tax data refresh cadence: the reports-data page (https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/about-us/reports-data/property-taxes) states only that files are “working documents” with no warranty; no refresh schedule is stated. “Refreshed daily” removed from C6 pending confirmation from the Tax Office.
  • ClaimItTexas.gov URL: the court-registry page does not cite ClaimItTexas.gov by name; the site is attributed to the Texas Comptroller Unclaimed Property program. Verify the portal URL (https://claimittexas.gov/) remains current and is the Comptroller’s official claims portal.
  • Exact population figure: cited as rounded estimate (~1.3 million); not verified against a primary county source.
  • County Clerk name confirmation: Dyana Limon-Mercado identified from the County Clerk website; verify current term against the official page.
  • Constable precincts for non-tax sales: Constable Precinct 5 is confirmed for judicial tax sales; confirm which precinct handles writ/property sales for deed-of-trust foreclosures in central Austin vs. other precincts.
• cross_links: texas, right-of-redemption, surplus-funds, third-party-recovery-rules, due-process-notice, sheriff-sale
• changelog:
  • 2026-06-02 — Initial population from Travis County official sources: Tax Office foreclosed-properties page, FAQ, and resales page (two-step RealAuction + $10 Tax Office registration, online platform, cashier’s check payment); Constable Precinct 5 website (courthouse location, Austin Chronicle 21-day publication, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. window); District Clerk Finance Division and Court Registry pages (excess-proceeds deposit/notification/escheat, Finance Division address/phone/email); County Attorney website (in-house collection, Travis County-only distinction); Texas Comptroller county directory (Celia Israel confirmed); County Clerk contact page (Dyana Limon-Mercado); tccsearch.org recording portal; TCAD property search. C0–C7 filled; in-house County Attorney distinction, RealAuction platform, surplus filing venue (District Clerk Finance Division / court registry), and all major records portals pinned to primary county sources. Honest gaps flagged under needs_verification.
  • 2026-06-02 (corrections) — Four citation/accuracy fixes: (1) Resales page (tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/foreclosed/resales and subpages) confirmed 404; struck-off bidding details moved to needs_verification; resale inventory confirmed via main foreclosed-properties page linking to RealAuction. (2) Removed invented phone 1-888-286-9242 and URL www.traviscountytax.org from C6 payment-portal entry — neither appears on the confirmed payment-methods page. (3) Fixed ClaimItTexas.gov attribution in C3 — the court-registry page does not cite ClaimItTexas.gov by name; now attributed to the Texas Comptroller Unclaimed Property program with a verification note. (4) Removed “refreshed daily” from C6 delinquent data description — the reports-data page states no refresh cadence; moved to needs_verification.

▸ For Investors / Operators — Travis County is the only major Texas metro county that handles delinquent-tax suits in-house through the County Attorney, using the RealForeclose platform (travis.texas.realforeclose.com) with a two-step registration (RealAuction account + $10 Tax Office approval, both at least 5 business days before sale). The Constable’s Deed is issued in the exact name registered on RealAuction; properties sell as-is, and the purchaser is responsible for any delinquent years not included in the judgment. Homestead and agricultural property carry a 2-year right of redemption; all other property 180 days — running from deed recordation (Tex. Tax Code § 34.21).

▸ For Former Owners — Excess proceeds from a Travis County tax-foreclosure sale are deposited into the Travis County District Court Registry (Finance Division, 1700 Guadalupe St., 3rd Floor, Room 3.200, Austin, TX 78701; (512) 854-9457 opt. 8; dcfinance@traviscountytx.gov). A Petition for Release of Excess Proceeds (verified petition) is filed in the specific district court that ordered the sale, using the original cause number. The statutory deadline is 2 years from the date of sale; after that the clerk distributes proceeds to the participating taxing units. Amounts over $25 trigger a certified letter to the former owner within 31 days of deposit; escheated amounts over$100 transfer to the Texas Comptroller’s Unclaimed Property Division.

Legal information, not legal advice. This page summarizes Travis County’s local tax-sale and surplus procedures from the county’s own official sources as of the last_verified date. Procedures, venues, contacts, sale dates, office names, and platform URLs change; verify against the cited county pages and consult a licensed Texas attorney before acting.