- Counties
- Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis, Johnson, Parker
- Largest appraisal districts
- Dallas CAD, Tarrant AD, Collin CAD, Denton CAD
- Metro population
- About 8.1 million
A metro that keeps spreading outward
Dallas-Fort Worth has more people than any other Texas metro, and it covers a lot of ground. Private lenders here rarely hold notes in just one county. A typical portfolio might include an owner-financed bungalow in Oak Cliff, a few lots in a Celina or Prosper subdivision, a starter home in Waxahachie and acreage outside Weatherford.
Most of the seller-financed volume sits on the edges. Collin and Denton absorb the northern growth, Ellis and Johnson the southern, and Parker the western side past Fort Worth. Inside Dallas and Tarrant counties the notes are more often one-off sales of existing homes.
The special-district tax problem
For escrowed loans, the hard part in DFW is rarely the county bill. It is everything stacked on top of it. Newer master-planned communities often sit inside a municipal utility district, a public improvement district and an emergency services district, each billing separately and some through a different collector than the county. Effective combined rates across the metro tend to run from about 2.1 to 2.7 percent of market value, with the newest northern subdivisions at the top of that range.
School districts are still the largest share of most bills, and Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Fort Worth and Arlington ISDs each set their own rate. We escrow against the full set of bills for each parcel, pay each taxing unit before the January 31 deadline, and reconcile every account in the annual Reg X §1024.17 analysis.
Nine counties, one state law
Texas foreclosure law does not change at the county line. Under Tex. Property Code §51.002, trustee sales happen on the first Tuesday of each month between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the county where the property sits. Dallas County uses the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building downtown; Tarrant County uses its courthouse in Fort Worth; the other seven counties each use their own county seat. The notice of sale names the exact spot. Check upcoming sale dates with the foreclosure calendar.
Default and foreclosure support is available as a separate service on request. Ask us for a quote.
DFW note holders ask
My notes are spread over four DFW counties. Is the fee different in each?
No. The rate card is the same everywhere in Texas: $150 to set up a note, $35 a month without escrow, $40 a month with escrow, and late fees split 50/50 with you. See pricing.
Can you handle a Collin or Denton subdivision note with MUD and PID bills?
Yes. We collect the bill from each district, add it to the escrow budget, and pay each one directly. When the appraisal district reassesses, the next analysis adjusts the borrower's monthly deposit.
Is there any difference between a Tarrant County property and a Dallas County property?
For servicing, very little. Statements, posting and year-end reporting are identical. The appraisal district and tax office differ, and so does the sale location if a lender ever pursues foreclosure.
This page is general information about servicing notes in Dallas-Fort Worth, not legal advice. Tax and foreclosure rules depend on your loan documents, the county and current law, so consult a Texas real estate attorney for any specific transaction. Riverstone Note Servicing, LLC is a Texas-licensed mortgage servicer located at 1602 N Interstate 35, San Antonio, TX 78208.
