First, let’s be honest — no one prepares you for this.
Losing your partner is already one of life’s most painful, disorienting experiences. Now, on top of grief, you’re facing mounting property taxes, threatening letters from the county, and the term “pre-foreclosure” staring you down. It’s overwhelming, exhausting, and feels like too much to handle all at once.
If you’re reading this, you might be lying awake at night wondering:
- What’s going to happen to my home?
- Am I going to lose the place my kids feel safe?
- Is there anything I can do to stop this?
Take a deep breath. You’re not alone in this. And while the situation is serious, there are steps you can take right now to protect yourself and your family. At Redeemed Resolution, we’ve helped many homeowners in the Dallas–Fort Worth area navigate pre-foreclosure, especially during tough life transitions like this.
Here are five key things you should know about your situation — and what you can do next.
1. Pre-Foreclosure Is a Warning Sign — Not the End of the Road
When your home is in pre-foreclosure, it means you’ve missed payments (in your case, property taxes), and the county or lender has started the process to recover the debt. But — and this is important — the home hasn’t been sold yet.
Think of pre-foreclosure as a yellow light instead of a red light. You still have options to keep or sell your home on your own terms before things go to a public auction.
If you take action now, you can often avoid the most damaging parts of foreclosure, including:
- Losing control over when and how the home sells
- Major credit score damage that lasts for years
- Additional fees and legal costs piling up
The key is to respond quickly. The longer you wait, the fewer doors remain open.
2. Unpaid Property Taxes Can Lead to Losing Your Home — Even Without a Mortgage
Many people don’t realize this, but if you fall behind on property taxes, the county has the legal right to place a lien on your home and eventually sell it to recover the unpaid balance. This is true even if you’ve already paid off your mortgage in full.
In Texas, the timeline moves faster than most expect. After you miss payments and penalties begin, the county can file a lawsuit and get a court judgment allowing the property to be sold at a tax sale. Once that happens, it’s very hard to reverse.
Here’s what that means for you:
You can’t ignore tax notices — even if the amounts seem small compared to your mortgage. Counties are relentless in collecting taxes because they rely on them to fund schools, roads, and services.
If you’re behind on taxes now, address it as soon as possible. You might have repayment options or be able to negotiate before it reaches the auction stage.
3. You May Have More Equity Than You Think — and That’s Your Lifeline
When you’re under financial stress, it’s easy to think only about the debt and overlook the value you’ve built in your home. But if you’ve owned your house for several years — especially in the DFW area where property values have risen — there’s a good chance you have equity.
Equity is simply the difference between your home’s market value and what you still owe on it (plus any liens like unpaid taxes). And that equity could be used to:
- Pay off your property taxes
- Settle other debts
- Build a financial cushion for you and your kids
- Start fresh in a more affordable home
The problem is, if you wait until foreclosure happens, most of that equity can disappear through legal fees, penalties, and a below-market auction price. Selling the home before the foreclosure process completes means you keep control of that equity instead of losing it.
4. You Have Options — Even If You’re Behind and Overwhelmed
When you’re grieving and stressed, it’s easy to feel like you’ve hit a dead end. But there are actually multiple ways to handle pre-foreclosure and unpaid taxes:
- Set up a repayment plan with the tax office
- Refinance or take out a home equity loan to cover the taxes (though this can be tricky with missed payments)
- Sell the home before foreclosure to pay off the taxes and keep the rest of your equity
- Work with a real estate investment company (like us) that can buy your home quickly, as-is, without you needing to make repairs or pay realtor commissions
The right choice depends on your financial situation, your emotional capacity, and your long-term plans. The most important thing is to talk to someone who understands your options before deadlines pass.
5. Acting Now Protects Your Future — and Your Peace of Mind
The hardest part of this process isn’t always the legal steps — it’s the emotional weight of uncertainty. Every day that passes without a plan is another day of anxiety, disrupted sleep, and worry for your children’s stability.
When you act quickly:
- You give yourself more options to avoid losing your home to an auction
- You protect your credit from deeper damage
- You preserve as much of your equity as possible
- You free up mental space to focus on healing and rebuilding your life
In our experience, most homeowners who wait until the last minute regret it later. Those who take action early — even if the situation feels embarrassing or hopeless — almost always come out in a stronger position.
Bottom Line
If you’re a single mom in DFW who’s recently lost your husband and is now facing unpaid property taxes and pre-foreclosure, please know this: You still have choices. You still have control — but only if you take steps now.
You don’t have to face county tax collectors, foreclosure notices, and real estate paperwork alone. We can help you understand your options, protect your equity, and either keep your home or sell it before it’s too late.
We’ve walked alongside many families in situations just like yours. We’ve seen the relief on their faces when they realize there’s still a way forward — one that preserves their dignity, safeguards their finances, and gives them breathing room to start fresh.
Let’s talk today.
Call 940-268-4605 or click here to tell us about your situation. We’ll listen without judgment, explain your options, and help you make the decision that’s right for you and your family.
You’ve carried so much already — let us help lighten the load.