What should you check in a Texas title commitment before you close?

A Texas title commitment is the title company's written promise to issue your owner's title policy once certain conditions are met. Check Schedule A for the correct names, legal description, and price. Read every Schedule B exception for easements, restrictions, or reservations that could affect how you use the property. Then make sure the Schedule C requirements, like lien payoffs, are on track to clear before closing day. Under the standard TREC contract, your window to object in writing is short, so read it the day it arrives.

By Matt Watson, Broker, REALTOR® | October 9, 2026

Somewhere between your option period and closing day, a PDF lands in your inbox from the title company. It's 8 to 15 pages, it's full of legal language, and most buyers skim it, say "looks fine," and move on. That's the mistake.

The title commitment is the one document that tells you what you're actually buying, what stays attached to the property after you own it, and what has to happen before the sellers can hand you clean ownership. In my 25 years working Uptown, Oak Lawn, East Dallas, and North Oak Cliff, I've seen a surprise easement, a name spelled wrong, and an unreleased lien each turn a smooth closing into a scramble. All three were visible in the commitment days earlier.

Here's how to read it so you catch what matters.

What a title commitment is, and why the clock matters

Your title company searches the public records on the property and then issues a commitment. It says, in effect, "If these conditions are met, we'll insure your ownership under a policy with these exceptions." It isn't the policy itself. It's the preview, and it's your chance to object before you're locked in.

Timing is where buyers get caught. Under the standard TREC contract, the seller has a set number of days after the effective date to deliver the commitment, and you get a short window, generally five days, after receiving it, the exception documents, and the survey to object in writing. If you miss that window, you may be treated as accepting what's listed. Your exact deadlines are in the title and survey paragraph of your contract, and the contract forms changed on July 1, 2026, so check your own copy. The property survey arrives on a similar timeline, so read the two side by side. If you need the bigger picture of what happens between acceptance and closing, I walk through it in what happens after your offer is accepted in Texas.

If the seller can't cure a valid objection within the cure period, you generally have the choice to accept the title as it is or terminate and recover your earnest money. That's real leverage, but only if you objected on time.

The schedules, in the order to read them

Texas commitments are organized into schedules. Read them in this order.

Schedule A: the facts. This is the quick check, and it's the one buyers should never skip.

  • Your name and your lender's name, spelled exactly as they'll appear on loan documents
  • The seller's name as it appears in the public record
  • The legal description, which should match your survey
  • The sales price and loan amount
  • The type and amount of the owner's policy

A misspelled name or wrong middle initial can stall a loan document package. Fixing it on day 8 is a phone call. Fixing it on closing day can mean a delay.

Schedule B: the exceptions. This is where your attention belongs. These are the items the title policy will not cover, and they stay with the property after you own it. Some are standard in every Texas policy. Others are specific to your property:

  • Easements: utility, drainage, or access easements that limit where you can build, fence, or add on
  • Restrictive covenants: deed restrictions and subdivision rules that can affect additions, rentals, or exterior changes
  • Building setbacks: limits that can matter if you're planning an addition or a detached structure
  • Mineral or royalty reservations: common in Texas and usually not a daily concern, but worth knowing about
  • Prior liens or lawsuits: anything that suggests a claim against the property

Each exception points to a recorded document. Open them. The one-line summary in the commitment rarely tells you what the document actually allows. Ask whether the standard survey exception can be amended once you have a current survey. In many cases it can for an added premium, and your title officer can quote it.

Schedule C: the requirements. These are the conditions that must be met before the title company will issue your policy. Typical items include payoff letters for the seller's mortgage, release of any other liens, proof of authority if the seller is a trust or company, and probate or heirship documents if an owner has died. You don't have to fix these yourself, but you do want to know early which ones exist, because they're the most common reason a closing slips. Ask your title officer which items are still open each week.

Dallas-specific things to look for

Dallas's urban core has a wide mix of property types, and the commitment reads differently depending on what you're buying.

Older houses in East Dallas and North Oak Cliff. Homes from the 1920s through the 1950s often have decades of recorded history: old easements, additions over setback lines, prior owners' liens, and sometimes ownership that passed through a family estate. Look closely at Schedule B and C. If an owner has passed away, probate or heirship paperwork can add real time, so raise that with your agent immediately. If your home sits in a conservation district, the title commitment won't flag that overlay, so check it separately.

Condos and townhomes in Uptown and Oak Lawn. For a condo, the commitment should reference the condominium declaration, your unit number, and your undivided interest in the common elements. Confirm the unit and building details match your contract. Check for any recorded assessment liens against the unit, and compare what you see with the HOA resale certificate, which covers dues, reserves, and pending assessments. For townhomes, confirm whether you're buying fee simple land or a condo regime, because the exceptions will look different. I break that down in condo vs. townhome in Dallas.

Recent work on the property. If the seller has added a deck, finished an attic, or built a detached garage, compare the survey to the commitment's setback and easement language. A structure sitting on an easement is the kind of problem that's far easier to solve in week two than in week five. If you suspect unpermitted work, read what to check before buying a house with unpermitted work in Dallas.

What to do before the objection deadline

  1. Read Schedule A the day it arrives. Confirm every name, the legal description, and the price.
  2. Open every Schedule B document. Don't rely on the summary line.
  3. Match it to your survey. Anything on the survey that touches an easement or setback is worth a written question.
  4. Ask your title officer what's open in Schedule C. Request an update each week.
  5. Talk to your agent before the deadline, not after. If something concerns you, we can send a written objection while you still have the right to.
  6. Ask a real estate attorney about anything legal. Neither your agent nor your title officer can give you legal advice on what a recorded document means for your plans.

Your commitment reads differently depending on the property, the seller, and what you plan to do with it, so I don't treat it as a formality. It's the document I read most carefully on every buyer's behalf, before the objection window closes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a title commitment in Texas?

A title commitment is the title company's written statement of the conditions under which it will issue your owner's title insurance policy. It lists who owns the property, what exceptions will not be covered, and what requirements must be met before closing. It's issued before the policy, not instead of it.

How long do I have to object to a title commitment in Texas?

Under the standard TREC contract, you generally have a short window, commonly five days, after you receive the commitment, exception documents, and survey to object in writing. The exact deadline is in your contract's title and survey paragraph, so confirm it with your agent the day the commitment arrives.

What happens if the seller can't fix a title problem?

Generally, the seller has a cure period after your timely objection. If the issue isn't cured, you can usually accept the title as it is or terminate the contract and receive your earnest money back. If you didn't object in time, you may lose that option, which is why the deadline matters.

Who pays for the owner's title policy in Dallas?

It's negotiable, and your contract spells out who pays. In Dallas County, it's common for the seller to pay for the owner's policy while the buyer pays for the lender's policy, but check your contract rather than assuming. Title insurance rates in Texas are set by the state, so the premium is the same from one title company to the next.

Can a title commitment delay my closing?

Yes. Unreleased liens, missing signatures, name mismatches, and probate issues are among the most common reasons a Texas closing slips. Reading the commitment early and asking which requirements are still open gives you the best chance to catch them while there's still time.

Your next step

Your title commitment tells you what you're really buying, and the objection window is the only time you have to push back on it. If you're under contract in Uptown, Oak Lawn, East Dallas, or North Oak Cliff and want a second set of eyes on your commitment, or you're still shopping and want to know what to expect before you write an offer, I'd be happy to talk it through. No pressure, no obligation, just straight answers from someone who knows these neighborhoods. Reach out at mattwatson.com and we'll set up a quick call.

About Matt Watson, Broker, REALTOR®

Matt Watson is a Dallas-based real estate broker and REALTOR® with over 25 years of experience in the city's urban core neighborhoods. He specializes in condos, townhomes, and single-family homes in Uptown, Oak Lawn, East Dallas, and North Oak Cliff. Whether you're buying your first condo or selling a longtime home, Matt brings deep local knowledge and straightforward guidance to every transaction. Connect with Matt at mattwatson.com.

This post is general information, not legal advice. Consult a Texas real estate attorney about your specific situation.