Can You Lose Your House Not Paying Property Taxes?
Owe Back Taxes on Property
Missing mortgage payments isn’t the only way you can lose your home. Falling behind on your property taxes – no matter whether you owe thousands or just a few hundred dollars – also puts you at risk of foreclosure.
In fact, property tax foreclosures take place every day in the United States. When you cannot pay property taxes you owe, your city or county has the legal right to put a high-priority tax lien on your property in the amount of the past due taxes, plus interest and penalties.
After a set period of time – in most jurisdictions anywhere from six months to two years, depending on where you live – if your taxes are still unpaid the taxing authority’s tax lien gives them the right to foreclose on your property. Your home then gets sold at an auction to anyone willing to pay off the back taxes owed with you receiving nothing in return.
Property Tax Foreclosure
Delinquent Property Taxes May Lead to Foreclosure
The number one reason people become delinquent on their property taxes is because these taxes can run into the thousands of dollars, driving up the cost of owning property considerably. Some lenders force you to add your property taxes into the monthly mortgage payment you make – to make sure the payments get paid on time. So if the principal and interest on your mortgage totals $2,000 per month and your annual property tax bill is $2,400, that is an additional $200 tacked onto your monthly payment.
Check out the taxes paid in the following 10 states, which have the highest property taxes in the country based on 2019 statistics.
2019 State / Median Property Tax
1. New Jersey $7,840
2. Illinois $4,157
3. New Hampshire $5,388
4. Connecticut $5,582
5. Wisconsin $3,286
6. Vermont $4,040
7. Texas $2,775
8. Nebraska $2,565
9. New York $4,915
10. Rhode Island $4,013
Sell House Before Foreclosure
If you are looking to sell a property before foreclosure, we can help. We buy property in all 50 states and Washington D.C. for cash--- even ones that still owe back taxes. If you want to sell your house with back property taxes, you may fill out the Sell My Property Fast Form or call us at (202) 826-8179.