One of the most unique features of Texas real estate—especially compared to states like California or Colorado—is that Texas is a non-disclosure state.
This confuses buyers, sellers, and even people relocating from other parts of the country.
But once you understand how this works, it explains almost everything about:
✔️ Why Zillow is often inaccurate in Texas
✔️ Why public tax records don’t show sale prices
✔️ Why real estate agents are essential for pricing
✔️ Why MLS data is so valuable
✔️ Why tax assessments can be wrong
✔️ Why appraisers use private data
Let me break it down in a clear, first-person way.
1. What Does “Non-Disclosure State” Mean?
It means:
Texas does NOT require buyers, sellers, or agents to disclose the actual sales price of a property to the public.
The sale price is private information, shared only between:
✔️ Buyer
✔️ Seller
✔️ Title company
✔️ Lender
✔️ Agents involved
The government does not receive it unless voluntarily reported.
2. Why Doesn’t Texas Require Disclosure?
Texas has very strong property rights laws.
The idea is:
Your home’s value and sale price are private financial information, not public records.
This protects homeowners from:
✔️ Unnecessary data collection
✔️ Public exposure of financial decisions
✔️ Manipulation of tax assessments
It’s a core part of Texas’ privacy-focused culture.
3. What Does This Mean for the Public?
A few important things:
A) Tax Assessors Do NOT Know Your Sales Price
This is huge.
Central Appraisal Districts (CADs):
❌ Cannot see your contract
❌ Cannot see your closing disclosure
❌ Cannot see the actual sale price unless someone tells them
This is why:
✔️ Tax values can be very different from actual values
✔️ You can protest taxes effectively
✔️ Neighbors’ valuations vary wildly
B) Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com Are Guessing
Because Texas doesn’t provide sale prices, online portals use:
✔️ Tax assessments
✔️ Old MLS listings
✔️ Automated modeling
✔️ User-submitted data
This is why Zestimate accuracy in Texas is:
❌ Low
❌ Often off by 10–20%
❌ Sometimes off by $100K+
Only licensed agents (like me) have access to actual sale data through MLS.
C) Appraisers Rely on Private MLS Data
Professional appraisers use:
✔️ Closed MLS sales
✔️ Private builder data
✔️ Non-public comps
✔️ Local market knowledge
Public records alone would be useless in Texas.
4. What Non-Disclosure Means for Buyers
✔️ You need MLS access for accurate pricing
I provide comps you cannot find online.
✔️ You can negotiate more effectively
Because sales prices are private, pricing trends aren’t obvious to the public.
✔️ Your purchase price stays confidential
Your neighbors won’t know what you paid unless you tell them.
✔️ Appraised value depends on private comps
Lenders rely heavily on MLS data.
5. What Non-Disclosure Means for Sellers
✔️ Your sale price stays private
It will not become public record.
✔️ You control your pricing narrative
Buyers cannot see what you paid for the home unless you disclose it.
✔️ You need an agent who understands local data
Pricing too high or too low based on Zillow is common and costly.
✔️ Your tax bill is not tied to your sale price
Appraisal districts cannot use your contract price to raise your taxes.
6. How This Affects Tax Assessments
Since CADs don’t know the sale price, they estimate value using:
✔️ Mass appraisal models
✔️ Neighborhood averages
✔️ Adjustments for size and features
✔️ Limited MLS sales when voluntarily provided
This is why tax values can be:
❌ Over-assessed in some areas
❌ Under-assessed in others
And why protesting is so effective in Texas.
7. Why Builders Often Don’t Publish Final Sales Prices
Builders are extremely private about their pricing for several reasons:
✔️ They don’t want future buyers demanding the same discounts
✔️ They often give incentives that affect the net price
✔️ They want flexibility in their negotiation strategies
✔️ They don’t want public pressure from neighbors
This is allowed because Texas is a non-disclosure state.
8. Why Real Estate Agents Are Essential in Texas
Because pricing data isn’t public, your agent becomes your:
✔️ Market analyst
✔️ Pricing strategist
✔️ Appraisal-data expert
✔️ Negotiation guide
I provide:
✔️ Comparable sales
✔️ Price-per-square-foot analysis
✔️ Trend evaluations
✔️ Neighborhood absorption rates
✔️ Micro-market insights
✔️ Builder pricing patterns
This is data the public cannot access.
9. Common Misconceptions About Non-Disclosure
❌ “Tax value = market value.”
This is almost never true.
❌ “Zillow has the real sale prices.”
They don’t.
❌ “Neighbors can look up what I paid.”
Not unless YOU tell them.
❌ “All states are like this.”
Only a handful of states offer true sale-price privacy.
10. My Rule of Thumb
Texas protects your privacy—but you need real MLS data to make smart decisions.
That’s where my expertise comes in.
Bottom Line: Texas Keeps Your Real Estate Information Private—And That’s a Good Thing
Texas’ non-disclosure status gives buyers and sellers major advantages:
✔️ Sales price privacy
✔️ Better negotiating power
✔️ Effective tax protests
✔️ Less public financial exposure
✔️ More control over information
And as your agent, I bring the private market data you need to price accurately, negotiate confidently, and make smart decisions.
Want Accurate Sales Data for Your Neighborhood?
If you want real comps (not Zillow guesses), I can pull MLS data anytime.
📞 Call or Text: (254) 644-5297✉️ Email Me
