Kaufman County, TX Property Records

    Kaufman County, TX, has a population of over 197,800 residents, representing 36.1% growth in population since the last census in 2020. This is a strong upward trend that is a result of the North Texas expansion outward from the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, and places Kaufman County among the rapidly expanding counties in Texas. The average home value in Kaufman County is about $281,809, up 0.5% over the previous year and just a little lower than the statewide average of $294,444.

    The housing market tends to move at a moderate pace, as listings in the county typically go under contract in about 69 days. This signals an active but not hyper-competitive market. However, statistics from the Federal Reserve Economic Data show that approximately 34% of households in Kaufman County are cost-burdened (spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs). The cost-burden rate may suggest meaningful affordability pressures due to rising interest rates, property taxes, and broader cost of living dynamics.

    Property assessment and parcel data in Kaufman County are typically the responsibility of the municipal-level databases. The city/town assessors and local appraisal districts are the correct sources for detailed parcel inventories, legal descriptions, tax assessments, and valuation histories.

    Who Keeps the Official Land Records

    Real estate records in Kaufman County are maintained locally by the County Clerk's Office. Like all of Texas, property records in Kaufman County are county-administered. The County Clerk's Office records official land property documents such as deeds, deeds of trust, liens, easements, plats, assignments, and other instruments.

    Any interested individual can access land records by visiting the County Clerk's Office at 1902 E. US Highway 175, Kaufman, TX 75142. Other sub-office locations help serve different parts of the county, but are still under the jurisdiction of the Kaufman County Clerk. These office branches are located in Terrell and Forney, towns within the county.

    What Kaufman County Property Records Include

    In Kaufman County, official property records are maintained by the County Clerk. Property records in Kaufman County consist of a set of records that affect ownership, interests, encumbrances, rights, and status of real estate within the county. These records include deeds, encumbrances, liens, easements, lis pendens, foreclosure notices, and more.

    Deed indexing in Kaufman County dates as far back as 1847 (the mid-19th century), after the county was organized. The public access search portal on the County Clerk's webpage allows retrieval of index entries and documents dating back many decades. One can also access pages of property documents through in-person visits or requests at the County Clerk's Office.

    How to Access Kaufman County Property Records

    You can access Kaufman County property records using a combination of limited online access, in-person visits, and other request methods.

    Online Access (Free & Official)

    The Property Public Records Search portal on the webpage of the County Clerk offers free but official access to property records within the county. The portal is hosted on the county's public access system via Tyler Technologies and allows search and limited viewing of records, but a user will need to agree to some terms before access is granted.

    Searchable fields typically include grantee or grantor name, year range, document type, and volume page number. For older records (especially from 1902 -1968), the QuickLink portal hosted by the County Clerk's Office allows any user to view some index and document images.

    In Person

    To physically request and obtain certified copies of property documents, enjoy staff assistance with locating documents, and use public access terminals for locating land documents, one should visit the County Clerk's Office at 1902 E. US Highway 175. Kaufman, TX 75142. Office hours are between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m, Mondays to Fridays, except on county holidays.

    The satellite offices of the County Clerk's Office also provide certain services. It is advisable to contact them before visiting.

    By Phone or Email

    To ask about record availability, recording fees, and how best to prepare your documents, you can call the County Clerk's Office at (469) 376-4730 or via email at countyclerkrequests@kaufmancounty.net

    By Mail/Overnight

    A user who wants to record documents can mail a request to the County Clerk's Office. Such requests are to include original signed documents with all acknowledgments and signatures, a cover letter with the sender's contact details, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of originals. The mail is to be sent to:

    Kaufman County Clerk's Office

    1902 E. US Highway 175

    P.O. Box 729

    Kaufman, TX 75142

    E-Recording (Professionals)

    Kaufman County supports e-recording of real estate documents through authorized professionals such as attorneys, lenders, title companies, and state agencies.

    What's Not at the Registry (But Matters for Property Research)

    The County Clerk only handles certain land documents such as deeds, liens, plans, mortgages, and discharges. However, there are other agencies that handle other property documents. The Kaufman Central Appraisal District maintains Assessments, parcel cards, ownership for tax purposes, and appraised values, while tax rates, tax bills, and payment or delinquency records are collected and maintained by the Kaufman County Tax Assessor-Collector.

    For statewide official tax-rate data and tax information, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts is the right source.

    Step-by-Step: How to Pull a Deed Online

    You can pull up Kaufman County deeds online by taking the following steps:

    • Visit the online Official Public Records Search provided by the Kaufman County Clerk.

    • Select Kaufman County if prompted to do so.

    • Search for the deed using standard search fields like grantee or grantor names, document number, book or volume number, or recorded date range.

    • Click the matching result to open the scanned deed. Make sure to confirm the parties, legal description, and recording details.

    • Use the portal's download or print option to save the PDF. Note that viewing the index is free. However, downloading or printing images may require accepting terms and, in some cases, paying a small copy fee.

    Cities & Towns in Kaufman County (and Their Registry Districts)

    Kaufman County is a single-recording jurisdiction. Land records are organized at the county level by the County Clerk. All land records, including deeds, liens, easements, lis pendens, and maps for municipalities within Kaufman County are recorded and indexed by the County Clerk. Kaufman County does not use multiple registry districts within the county for property recordings, unlike Massachusetts.

    City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

    The Kaufman Central Appraisal District is responsible for property valuation, classification, appraisal notices, and exemptions. The Interactive Map portal on the webpage gives access to users to look up parcels by owner name, legal description, or account number, or to view the exemption status and assessed values on a property.

    The Tax Assessor-Collector of Kaufman County handles the issuance of property tax bills, handles payments, delinquency inquiries, and information on tax rates. Note that many cities and special districts within Kaufman County provide their own tax rate details on local government or district sites.

    For official statewide property tax information, including tax-rate breakdowns and links to local tax rate directories, the webpage of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts is the right source for such information.

    Kaufman County-Specific Nuances

    Kaufman County, CA, has several distinctive features that may influence property research:

    • Kaufman County has no separate registry districts within the county. Unlike Massachusetts, it uses a single consolidated registry where all land records are recorded with the Kaufman County Clerk.

    • Land records in Kaufman County extend back to the 1840's (mid-19th century). These deep archives make it possible to research original grants and long chains of title.

    • Kaufman County does not operate a Land Court and does not maintain a registered-title system.

    • Searches are primarily by grantor/grantee and instrument data. Research using direct address or parcel-number searching is unavailable in the County Clerk's system.

    • Some old index volumes and plat materials are accessible through dedicated or legacy viewers hosted by the County Clerk's Office, rather than the main search screen hosted by Tyler Technologies.

    • Online access is index-free. However, viewing or downloading scanned copies of deed images may require accepting terms and, in some cases, paying a small copy fee.

    Typical Contents of a Kaufman County Property Record

    A Kaufman County property record refers to a collection of official documents that have been recorded and filed by the County Clerk's Office and made part of the public official records. You will typically see the following information when reviewing these records:

    • Deeds (proof of ownership transfer):

      • Grantor and grantee names

      • Legal description of the property

      • Sale consideration

      • Prior references

      • Homestead declaration (if applicable)

    • Mortgages/Deed of Trust and Discharges (evidence of debt):

      • Lender

      • Borrower

      • Loan amount and terms

      • Instrument type

      • Discharge or release details

    • Plans and Maps:

      • Survey or plan number

      • Subdivision references

      • Plat or Map Attachments

    • Encumbrances and Restrictions

      • Easements

      • Restrictive Covenants (CC&Rs)

      • Lis pendens notices

      • Liens

    Depending on the record, you may also view other information, such as declarations of trusts, amendments to covenants, recording references, surveyor certification and seal, affidavits of address or identity, confirmatory or corrective deeds, and power of attorney filings.

    Recording Changes to Property Titles

    All changes to property titles in Kaufman County, including new ownership, liens, mortgages, releases, and other encumbrances, become official only when the correct property documents have been recorded with the Clerk-Recorder's Office of the county by approved professionals. These professionals may submit documents electronically through vendors approved by the Kaufman County Clerk. Documents can be filed and recorded Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    More information on operating hours, recording guidelines, and a list of approved third-party vendors is on the website of the Kaufman County Clerk's Office.

    Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

    Here is a practical checklist that you can use to conduct effective property research in Kaufman County, TX:

    • Identify the correct recording office. Kaufman County uses one recording office. The Kaufman County Clerk's Office is the only authority responsible for recording land documents within the county.

    • Search public records and note reference numbers. You can search by name or document index. Record the official reference for every document you find.

    • Trace the chain of title using prior references. Use the prior instrument number shown on the deed to trace and establish a continuous chain of ownership. Start with the most recent deed and work backward.

    • Review related plans and encumbrances. Locate and review the document index for easements, lis pendens, covenants and restrictions (CC&Rs), and liens that may affect use or access.

    • Verify parcel data with the appraisal authority. Confirm parcel details with the Kaufman Central Appraisal District using the property account number, situs address, current owner name, legal description, land size, and improvement data.

    • Confirm registered land status, where applicable. Kaufman County does not operate a Registered Land or Land Court title system.

    Appendix A: Municipalities in Kaufman County

    Kaufman County also has 7 cities, 6 towns, and 2 villages

    • Cities: Combine, Cottonwood, Crandall, Forney, Kaufman (county seat), Kemp, and Terrell

    • Towns: Mabank (partly in Henderson County), Oak Grove, Oak Ridge, Post Oak Bend City, Scurry, and Talty

    • Villages: Grays Prairie and Grosser [Wikipedia]

    Appendix B: Key Contacts & Portals