We buy houses in Fayette County, TX

Texas property taxes are late if not paid before February 1 of the next year (Tex. Tax Code 31.02).

The penalty starts at 6% in the first month. It grows by 1% each month, up to 12% on July 1. Interest adds another 1% a month (Tex. Tax Code 33.01).

Unpaid taxes can lead to a tax sale. Like a mortgage sale, it is held between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month (Tex. Tax Code 34.01).

A sale does not always end your rights. A homestead, farm land with an ag valuation, or a mineral interest can be bought back within two years. You repay the buyer plus a premium (Tex. Tax Code 34.21):

• 25% in the first year
• 50% in the second year

Other land has only 180 days (Tex. Tax Code 34.21).

If you are 65 or older or disabled, you can file an affidavit with the appraisal district. It defers collection of taxes on the home you live in (Tex. Tax Code 33.06).

In September 2024, the Commissioners Court set the county rate at $0.41189 per $100 of taxable value. That was a bit below the year before. In August 2026, the court proposed a total rate of $0.44439.

Every school district in the county gives the state's $140,000 homestead exemption. Owners who are 65 or older, or disabled, get $60,000 more (Tex. Tax Code 11.13).

The appraisal district lists these other exemptions in October 2026:

• county fund: $10,500 for owners 65 or older
• county road and bridge fund: $3,000 homestead, $7,500 over 65
• City of La Grange: 20% or $5,000 homestead, $15,000 over 65

Inherited the house but your name is not on the deed? You can still apply for the homestead exemption. The form asks for an ownership affidavit, the death certificate and a recent utility bill (Tex. Tax Code 11.43).

Texas has no deed transfer tax. The state constitution bars any new tax on the sale of a home's title (Tex. Const. art. VIII, sec. 29).

The county groundwater district changed its well rules in 2026. For wells registered after May 6, 2026, the rules say:

• an exempt well is for home or livestock use only
• one exempt well is allowed per 10 acres
• it cannot pump more than 25,000 gallons a day

Smaller tracts get lower pump limits. Land of 6 to 10 acres gets 15 gallons a minute. Land of 2 to 6 acres gets 13, and 2 acres or less gets 10.

Many rural tracts here carry an ag valuation. The appraisal district's 2024 guide says the land must have been farmed or ranched in 5 of the last 7 years. Grazing land typically needs about 15 acres.

If a buyer stops the ag use, a rollback tax is due. It covers the tax savings for the last three years (Tex. Tax Code 23.55).

Own a manufactured home on your own land? You can elect to treat it as real property. The state then issues a statement of ownership. Within 60 days you must file it in the county's real property records (Tex. Occ. Code 1201.2055).

Oil was first found here in 1943. The county is part of the Giddings oilfield, so check the clerk's records for leases.

The Colorado River cuts across the county from northwest to southeast. The Handbook of Texas says flooding along it is common.

It lists major floods in 1869, 1870, 1900, 1938 and 1992. Each one did real damage to crops and property.

Even the courthouse site drew worry. When it was planned in 1890, some people asked why it was going in a flood plain.

If your land sits near the river or a big creek, any buyer will ask about past high water. Have your flood records, insurance claims and repair bills ready.