Sell a House With Back Taxes or Tax Liens in Central Florida
Unpaid property taxes don't just sit there. Florida has a system that turns them, slowly at first and then all at once, into losing the house entirely. If you're behind on property taxes in Central Florida, here's the good news: you can still sell. The taxes get paid out of the closing. The process stops. We're a family-owned, licensed Florida brokerage, and we'll walk you through it plainly.
We're the principal buyer first, not agents looking to list your home. Family-owned. You work with Paul, a licensed FL broker.
🔒 No obligation. We never pressure you.
What Florida actually does about unpaid property taxes
When property taxes go unpaid, the county doesn't wait politely.
Under Florida's tax-certificate system, the tax collector sells a certificate on your debt to an outside investor. From that point, what you owe starts growing with interest. It's quiet at first. A lot of homeowners barely notice it.
The loud part comes later. Once a certificate has been outstanding long enough, roughly two years, the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed. The county can then schedule a public sale of your property. Every Central Florida county runs this through its own process. We know all of them.
Selling clears it. All of it.
Here's the part that surprises most people: back taxes don't block a sale. They get paid out of the closing, just like any other lien. Whatever equity is left after the taxes and the mortgage is yours. You don't need to come up with the money beforehand. The house itself settles the bill.
If a tax deed sale is already on the calendar, timing becomes everything. Selling before that date keeps the equity in your hands, instead of letting a county auction decide. Tell us where things stand, even if the letters have been piling up unopened. We'll help you read the situation honestly.
Tax liens, and the other kind
This page covers property-tax debt: back taxes and the certificates that grow from them.
But maybe your house carries other kinds of liens too: judgment liens, HOA liens, code-enforcement liens. Those work differently, and we buy houses with those as well. The principle is the same: liens get resolved at closing, not by you in advance.
Houses with tax problems usually come with company: deferred repairs, a tenant, an estate that was never properly settled. None of that changes anything for us. We buy as-is, and complicated is where we work best.
Most cash buyers show you one number. We show you two.
The usual playbook is one lowball offer, take it or leave it. We put a cash offer and a guaranteed sale price side by side and explain the tradeoff honestly. You pick the one that fits, or you walk away. Either is fine.
Cash Purchase
Best when speed and certainty matter most.
Guaranteed Sale
Best when you want closer to market value.
Common questions
Can I sell a house with back taxes owed?
Yes. The taxes are paid from the sale proceeds at closing. You don't need to pay them off first. Whatever equity remains after the taxes and any mortgage balance is yours.
What happens if I don't pay property taxes in Florida?
The county sells a tax certificate on the debt, and it grows with interest. After roughly two years, the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed, which can put your property up for public sale. The earlier you act, the more options you still have.
Can I sell before the tax deed sale?
Often yes. There's usually a window right up until the process completes. But it's a hard deadline, not a soft one. If a sale date exists, tell us right away. A cash closing in two to three weeks is often fast enough.
I owe several years of taxes. Is that a problem?
No. The size of the tax bill changes the math at closing. It doesn't change whether we'll buy. Bring us the honest numbers and we'll show you exactly what's left in your pocket.
What about HOA liens or judgment liens?
Different animals, same answer. We buy houses with those too, and they're settled at closing. If your house carries several kinds of liens at once, that's not unusual. It just takes a buyer who's done it before.
Ready to sell your property now? With no repairs and no cleanups?
Takes less than 2 minutes. Paul will personally review your property and get back to you within 24 hours.