Quick answer: generally no — independent administration is by far the most common path in Texas, and it lets the executor sell without returning to court. Only dependent administration, a much rarer path, requires prior court approval. Run your own numbers in the Texas probate real estate sale calculator.
How independent administration gets set up
One filing requirement, then hands-off
Before the executor administers the estate free of further court supervision, a complete inventory of the estate — or a sworn affidavit in lieu of inventory — must be filed, listing all Texas real estate and all personal property regardless of location. Once that's done, the executor can settle with creditors, set aside exempt property, manage estate assets, sell property, and distribute the estate without further court involvement.
Dependent administration: the rarer, closer-watched path
Dependent administration requires court approval before selling estate real estate, along with generally closer ongoing supervision throughout — typically reserved for contested or otherwise complicated estates, and far less common in Texas than independent administration.
Selling can start well before probate closes
Once Letters Testamentary are issued, the executor has authority to list and sell estate real estate — the property can be listed during probate and sold as soon as that authority exists, without waiting for the estate itself to fully close.
A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.
Texas generally requires probate to be filed within 4 years of the date of death (§256.003) — a deadline worth knowing regardless of which administration type eventually applies, whether the case lands in Harris, Dallas, Travis, or Bexar County.