How to Sell Land With Back Taxes

You may be able to sell land with unpaid property taxes. Start by checking the full balance and any deadline. Then ask a closing company or attorney whether the taxes can be paid from the sale. What’s possible depends on the land’s records, the sale price and how far the tax process has gone.

1. Start With the Bill or Notice You Have

Being behind on taxes doesn’t mean you have to figure out everything today. Start with the most recent bill or notice. Find the land’s county, tax year and parcel number. A parcel number is the number the county uses to identify the land.

If you own several lots, keep a separate list for each one. Write down which pieces you want to sell. Don’t assume one bill covers them all.

Look for words such as tax sale, auction, court or foreclosure. If there’s a notice with a deadline, call the tax office promptly. Give them the parcel number and ask what the notice means. Ask a local attorney about your options if a sale or court action is near.

Keep the notice even if you don’t understand it. Send a copy to the closing team. A buyer’s promise to close quickly doesn’t change a county or court deadline.

2. Ask the Tax Office for the Full Balance

An old bill may not show what you owe now. Ask the local tax collector or treasurer for the amount needed to clear the unpaid taxes. This is often called a payoff amount. Ask how long the amount is good for.

You can say: “I’m looking into selling parcel ___ . What is the full amount owed, and is there any tax-sale or court deadline I need to know about?”

• Which tax years and bills are included?
• Does the amount include interest, fees and court costs?
• Are recent payments shown on the account?
• Is there a tax lien or other collection action?
• Which office or party must receive each payment?
• Can you give the closing team the amount due through a planned closing date?

A lien is a legal claim tied to a debt. If a tax lien has been sold, the amount owed and payment steps may be different from those on the first bill.

For example, Franklin County, Ohio, explains that its tax-lien sale sells the right to collect unpaid taxes, rather than selling the home at that stage. The county still handles payments. Ask your own office what stage your land is in and who handles the payment.

Use the phone number on the county’s official website to confirm unfamiliar payment requests. Keep the office’s reply and any receipts in your land folder.

3. Check Whether the Taxes Can Be Paid at Closing

You don’t have to assume that paying the old bill yourself is the only path. Ask a closing company or real estate attorney to review the land’s records and your tax notice. They can explain what must be paid or cleared for a sale.

Closing is when the sale papers are signed, money is paid and ownership is transferred. Ask whether the closing team can send part of the sale money to pay the taxes. Get the answer for your land before promising a buyer a date.

As one local example, Frederick County, Maryland, says unpaid taxes are collected by the settlement attorney when property is sold. Its FAQ also explains that taxes must be current before the deed can transfer there. Your closing team should check the rules and amounts where your land sits.

Give the team a deed copy, tax papers, any loan statement and the buyer’s written offer. A deed is the paper used to transfer ownership. A title search checks ownership and recorded claims.

Ask which owners need to sign. If you’re helping settle a loved one’s estate, share the papers you have. The team can explain what’s still needed.

See our land seller document checklist for a simple way to gather the basics. Missing a paper is a question to work through, not a reason to give up before asking.

4. Work Out the Money You Would Keep

Look past the offer price. Ask for a written estimate showing the price, taxes, loan payoff and seller costs. Check who pays each cost and which balances still need to be confirmed.

Here’s a made-up example. It shows the math, not what your land is worth or what your closing will cost:

• Sale price: $25,000
• Full tax payoff: minus $4,000
• Seller closing costs: minus $1,000
• Loan payoff: minus $5,000
• Estimated money left: $15,000

Use current payoff amounts in your own estimate. Ask whether other bills, recorded claims or costs still need to be added. If you have more than one parcel, check that the offer and tax figures cover the same land.

If a buyer says they’ll pay the taxes, ask how that works. Are taxes coming out of the offer, or being paid on top of it? Those can leave you with different amounts.

Put the answer in the sale agreement and closing estimate. Our land offer comparison worksheet can help you compare the numbers.

5. Compare Ways to Find a Buyer

Use a land agent. Ask how they would price and market the land, what fees you’d pay and how they would explain the tax issue to buyers. Share any deadline before signing a listing agreement.

Sell it yourself. You handle the listing, photos, calls and offers. Have a closing team ready to check the records and explain the payment steps. Don’t leave the tax question until the day of signing.

Ask a direct buyer. A direct offer gives you another choice to compare. Ask about the price, costs, checks the buyer needs and a realistic closing date. A cash offer still needs the ownership and tax issues checked.

To compare a direct offer from Reelvest, tell us about your land. Share the location, parcel number if known and any tax notice. We’ll review the details and let you know if we can make an offer. You choose whether it fits your plans.

Whichever route you choose, get the terms in writing. Compare the money you keep, not just the largest number in the offer.

What if the Sale Won’t Cover What Is Owed?

Ask the closing team to check the gap before you sign. A low offer may leave too little to pay taxes, other debts and costs. Find out what amount would still be needed and whether a sale could close on those terms.

Ask the tax office whether a payment plan or other help is available for this land. Don’t assume a program for a home also covers vacant land. Ask about its terms and whether it affects a pending deadline.

Talk with a local attorney before trying to give the land away to escape the bill. Changing ownership may not end the debt. The Texas Comptroller’s property-tax guide, for example, explains that an owner can still be sued for that year’s unpaid taxes after a sale or transfer.

You can also ask whether a different sale price or terms would change the numbers. Don’t agree to a shortfall you haven’t planned for.

What if You Have a Tax-Sale or Court Notice?

Start with the office named on the notice. Ask for the exact next date, what has already happened and what steps are still available. Write down who you spoke with and save their reply.

A notice about unpaid taxes, a tax-lien sale and a sale of the land are different stages. Don’t assume the same number of months or years applies everywhere. The stage matters more than a general promise that you have time.

Tell your closing team and any buyer about the notice right away. Ask a local attorney how the deadline affects a possible sale. Don’t rely on an offer alone to stop the process.

If a tax sale has already happened, ask the attorney to check who owns the land now, any rights you still have and whether any funds remain for you to claim. Have that checked before offering the land for sale.

Before and After Signing

Before signing, check the land included, owners, price and current payoff amounts. Ask who will send each payment, who will handle any needed release and how much money you’ll receive.

Save the signed sale papers, closing statement and proof of payment. Ask the closing team how you can confirm that the tax payment was received and the required records were handled.

Your next step: Find your latest bill or notice and call the tax office for the full balance and status. With those answers, you can ask a closing team and buyers about a sale that fits the facts.

Questions About Selling Land With Back Taxes

Local source links reviewed October 4, 2026.