Refugio County, TX Property Records

    Refugio County is on the Texas Coastal Plain between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Its population at the 2020 U.S. Census was 6,741, with 2025 estimates placing it near 6,657. The county seat is Refugio, and it is the only significant incorporated community in the county. The county originated as a municipality of Mexico in 1834 and was formally classified as a Texas county in 1837, making it one of the oldest in the state.

    The housing market is modest. The median home value is approximately $92,000, well below the Texas statewide average of approximately $298,000. The median household income is approximately $55,455. According to Federal Reserve Economic Data, an estimated 28–32% of households are cost-burdened. The market is thin: Refugio County has fewer than 7,000 residents, and transaction volumes are low.

    Property records are maintained by the County Clerk, listed as Margie A. on the county's public search portal at the courthouse in Refugio. The county offers online access through a public search portal and through TexasFile.

    Who Keeps the Official Land Records

    The Refugio County Clerk maintains all official land records in Refugio County. The office is located at the Refugio County Courthouse in Refugio, Texas.

    What County Property Records Include

    The County Clerk maintains all instruments affecting the ownership and encumbrance of real property. Recorded documents include:

    • Deeds: Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, special warranty deeds, trustee deeds, and correction deeds.

    • Deeds of Trust: The primary mortgage instrument in Texas conveys a security interest to a trustee on behalf of a lender.

    • Releases and Reconveyances: Discharge instruments releasing liens or deeds of trust once obligations are satisfied.

    • Oil and Gas Leases: Mineral leases, assignments, ratifications, and releases.

    • Easements and Rights-of-Way: Pipeline easements, utility easements, and access rights.

    • Mechanic's and Materialman's Liens: Filed under Chapter 53, Texas Property Code.

    • Powers of Attorney: Including durable and real-property-specific instruments.

    • Assignments: Including assignments of leases, rents, and mineral interests.

    • Lis Pendens: Notices of pending litigation affecting title.

    • Subdivision Plats: Plat maps of subdivisions within the county.

    How to Access Refugio County Property Records

    Online Access

    Refugio County offers online access through its public search portal. Records are also available through TexasFile. TexasFile coverage includes deeds, oil and gas leases, mineral deeds, liens, rights-of-way, plat maps, and probates.

    In Person

    Visit the Refugio County Courthouse in Refugio, TX 78377 during office hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.).

    By Phone

    Call (361) 526-2233 or (361) 526-2727 during business hours. Contact the office to confirm current fee schedules before submitting mail requests.

    By Mail

    Mail requests to the Refugio County Clerk, Refugio County Courthouse, Refugio, TX 78377. Include instrument details, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call ahead to confirm fees.

    What's Not at the County Clerk's Office

    • Property Appraisal: Refugio County Appraisal District. GIS and appraisal data are available through.

    • Property Taxes: Refugio County Tax Assessor-Collector. Contact through the courthouse at (361) 526-2233.

    • Texas RRC: RRC for well records, production histories, and GIS maps for Refugio County's oil and gas activity.

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

    To research a property deed using online resources:

    • Search TexasFile: Go to TexasFile and select the county. Search by grantor/grantee name, document type, and date range.

    • Identify the instrument: Note the volume and page number or instrument number and recording date.

    • Retrieve a copy: Download images if available. If not, contact the County Clerk at (361) 526-2233 or mail a request with instrument details and applicable fee to Refugio County Courthouse, Refugio, TX 78377.

    • Verify appraisal data: Cross-reference the parcel at the county appraisal district for assessed value, ownership, and exemption status.

    • Check mineral interests: For properties with oil and gas activity, search the Texas RRC for well locations and production data.

    • Confirm tax status: Verify current tax payment history with the County Tax Assessor-Collector.

    Cities & Towns in Refugio County

    • Refugio: County seat and only incorporated city. The population is approximately 2,770. The city name comes from the Spanish mission Nuestra Señora del Refugio, established in 1793. All recorded instruments for Refugio County are filed with the County Clerk at the courthouse.

    • Woodsboro: Small community of approximately 1,500 residents in the southern part of the county.

    • Bayside and Austwell: Very small coastal communities on the Aransas Bay/Mission Bay shoreline.

    • Unincorporated areas: Large ranch country constitutes most of the county's 818 square miles. All property instruments are recorded with the Refugio County Clerk.

    City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

    County-Specific Nuances

    • One of Texas's oldest counties historical records extend to 1837: Refugio County was organized in 1837 as one of the original Texas counties, and its recorded history extends to that year. Researchers dealing with historical chains of title should be prepared for older recording formats and may encounter instruments referencing the original Mexican municipality or early Republic-era conveyances.

    • Active oil and gas production mineral instrument volume is significant: Oil production has been continuous in Refugio County since the 1920s. The volume of recorded mineral instruments leases, assignments, division orders, ratifications, and releases is substantial relative to the county's small population. Any thorough title search must address the mineral estate separately from the surface estate.

    • Coastal properties and Aransas Bay: Properties along the Aransas Bay and Mission Bay shoreline may be subject to coastal regulations, Texas General Land Office jurisdiction over tidelands, and additional easements related to navigation and water access. Verify applicable restrictions through the Texas General Land Office for any coastal parcel.

    • Two phone numbers for the Clerk: The County Clerk lists two phone numbers: (361) 526-2233 and (361) 526-2727. Try both if one does not connect during business hours.

    • Texas uses a County Clerk, not a Recorder of Deeds: The County Clerk is the statutory custodian of all recorded land instruments under the Texas Local Government Code.

    • Texas uses deeds of trust, not traditional mortgages: Search for "deed of trust" rather than "mortgage" when examining encumbrances.

    • Severed mineral estates are common: A deed to the surface does not convey mineral rights unless explicitly stated. Mineral ownership must be traced through a separate chain of instruments.

    • Texas homestead rights: Both spouses must sign a deed or deed of trust conveying or encumbering the homestead, even if the title is in only one spouse's name.

    • Community property state: Property acquired during marriage is generally owned equally by both spouses.

    • Agricultural land exemptions: Land qualifying for ag appraisal is valued on productive capacity rather than market value. Assessed values may be substantially lower than market value.

    Typical Contents of a Refugio County Property Record

    • Deeds:

      • Grantor and grantee names

      • Full legal description

      • Consideration

      • Warranty covenants

      • Acknowledgment

      • Recording volume and page.

    • Deeds of Trust:

      • Borrower

      • Lender and trustee names

      • Loan amount

      • Legal description

      • Power of sale clause.

    • Oil and Gas Leases:

      • Lessor and lessee names

      • Description of leased premises

      • Primary term

      • Royalty rate (commonly 3/16 or 1/4)

      • Bonus consideration

      • Pugh clause if applicable.

    • Hunting Leases:

      • Lessor and lessee names

      • Description of the leased premises

      • Term

      • Permitted use

      • Annual payment.

    • Easements:

      • Pipeline easements

      • Coastal access easements

      • Parties

      • Description

      • Permitted use,

      • Term.

    • Releases:

      • Reference to the original deed of trust;

      • statement of satisfaction

      • Lender signature.

    Recording Changes to Property Titles

    All instruments affecting real property must be recorded with the County Clerk. Submissions may be made in person, by mail, or through an approved e-recording service. Documents must satisfy the following requirements:

    • Acknowledgment: Must be acknowledged before a notary public; acknowledgment dated on or after the execution date.

    • Legal Description: Complete legal description referencing the appropriate survey, abstract number, and block/lot designations.

    • Legibility: 8.5 x 11 inches, clearly printed, with a 3-inch top margin on the first page for recording notations.

    • Grantor/Grantee Names: All parties identified by full legal name.

    Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

    • Identify the parcel: Obtain the legal description from the deed, tax records, or the county appraisal district.

    • Search the grantor/grantee index: Use TexasFile or the County Clerk's in-office index.

    • Retrieve deed documents: Trace all deeds in the chain of title. Review for legal description accuracy, warranty covenants, and reservations.

    • Search for encumbrances: Search for deeds of trust, mechanic's liens, lis pendens, and other recorded encumbrances.

    • Review oil and gas instruments: Search mineral-related instruments, including leases, assignments, ratifications, and pooling agreements. Determine whether the mineral estate has been severed.

    • Check Texas RRC records: Visit RRC for active wells, operators, and production data.

    • Verify appraisal and tax status: Confirm assessed value, exemption status, and tax payment history at the appraisal district and Tax Assessor-Collector.

    • Confirm homestead status: Determine whether the property carries a homestead exemption.

    • Review plat records: For subdivided properties, confirm plat recording and verify the legal description.

    • Obtain certified copies: $5.00 first page, $1.00 per additional page.

    Appendix A Municipalities in Refugio County, TX

    Refugio County has 5 incorporated cities that are served by the Refugio County Recorder of Deeds. They include:

    • Cities: Austwell, Bayside, Refugio, which is the county seat, Tivoli, and Woodsboro.

    • Unincorporated Communities: Bonnie View, Cranell, Inari, Maudlowe, Old Saint Mary's, Quintana, Ryanville, and Vidaurri.

    All municipalities listed above record land documents with the Refugio County Clerk's Office (Recorder of Deeds). Every incorporated place in Refugio County falls under the same county recorder jurisdiction. (Wikipedia)

    Appendix B: Key Contacts & Portals