Selling a house with back taxes, liens, or code violations

Tax certificates, a contractor who never got paid, a city fine that grew into a lien. These feel like reasons you can't sell. They're usually just numbers that get paid at closing.

How liens actually work at a sale

Every lien on the property gets paid out of the sale price by the title company before you receive anything. You don't write a check, negotiate with the county, or pay off the contractor first. The title company gets the payoff figures and handles it.

What we do

We order a title search early so nothing surprises anyone at closing. If there are code violations, we contact the city about reducing the fines (they often will for a new owner who fixes the problem). If a tax deed sale is scheduled, we can close in as little as 14 days.

When it's tight

If the liens are bigger than what the house is worth, we'll tell you. Sometimes the answer is a negotiated payoff; sometimes it's letting it go. You'll know either way.

• Liens don't stop a sale. They get paid from the proceeds.
• Unpaid property taxes in Florida can lead to a tax deed sale; that's the deadline that matters.
• We buy with open permits and code cases in place.