This section lets an obligated person, including a guarantor, ask a district court to determine the property’s fair market value after a foreclosure sale that leaves a deficiency, and it requires the lender to credit insurer payments before suing for a deficiency.
Sec. 51.004. JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE--DEFICIENCY. (a) This section applies if: (1) real property subject to a deed of trust or other contract lien is sold at a foreclosure sale under a court judgment foreclosing the lien and ordering the sale; and (2) the price at which the real property is sold is less than the unpaid balance of the indebtedness secured by the real property, resulting in a deficiency. (b) Any person obligated on the indebtedness, including a guarantor, may bring an action in the district court in the county in which the real property is located for a determination of the fair market value of the real property as of the date of the foreclosure sale. The suit must be brought not later than the 90th day after the date of the foreclosure sale unless the suit is brought by a guarantor who did not receive actual notice of the sale before the date of sale, in which case the suit must be brought by the guarantor not later than the 90th day after the date the guarantor received actual notice of the sale. The fair market value shall be determined by the finder of fact after the introduction by the parties of competent evidence of the value. Competent evidence of value may include: (1) expert opinion testimony; (2) comparable sales; (3) anticipated marketing time and holding costs; (4) cost of sale; and (5) the necessity and amount of any discount to be applied to the future sales price or the cash flow generated by the property to arrive at a fair market value as of the date of the foreclosure sale. (c) If the finder of fact determines that the fair market value is greater than the sale price of the real property at the foreclosure sale, the persons obligated on the indebtedness, including guarantors, are entitled to an offset against the deficiency in the amount by which the fair market value, less the amount of any claim, indebtedness, or obligation of any kind that is secured by a lien or encumbrance on the real property that was not extinguished by the foreclosure, exceeds the sale price. If no competent evidence of fair market value is introduced, the sale price at the foreclosure sale shall be used to compute the deficiency. (d) Any money received by a lender from a private mortgage guaranty insurer shall be credited to the account of the borrower before the lender brings an action at law for any deficiency owed by the borrower. However, the credit required by this subsection does not apply to the exercise by a private mortgage guaranty insurer of its subrogation rights against a borrower or other person liable for any deficiency. Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 361, Sec. 1, eff. June 5, 1991.