Relocating and Need to Sell Your Plantation Home Quickly?
July 11, 2023
Selling a home quickly requires some strategic planning and execution. Here are nine steps you can take to help you…
If you’ve just discovered a tax lien on your Florida home, take a breath. You’re not alone, and you’re not out of options. Thousands of Florida homeowners every year find themselves dealing with unpaid property taxes, IRS liens, or county code-enforcement liens — and most of them get through it. This guide walks you through what a tax lien actually is, how it affects your ability to sell, and the fastest, least stressful path forward.
What Is a Tax Lien — and Why Do Florida Homeowners Get Them?
A tax lien is a legal claim placed on your property by a government agency when you owe unpaid taxes. In Florida, the three most common types are unpaid property taxes (filed by your county tax collector), federal IRS liens for unpaid income taxes, and state or local liens for things like unpaid water bills, code violations, or HOA dues that were referred to the county.
Property tax liens in Florida are particularly aggressive. After taxes are delinquent, your county can sell a tax lien certificate to an outside investor, and if the bill stays unpaid long enough, that certificate can eventually lead to a tax deed sale — where your home is auctioned off to recover the debt. Many homeowners don’t realize how quickly this can move.
IRS liens work differently. The IRS files a Notice of Federal Tax Lien in public records, which attaches to all your property — including your house. You can read more about how this works directly from the IRS’s own explanation of federal tax liens.
Can You Sell a House in Florida That Has a Tax Lien on It?
Yes — you absolutely can. This is the single most important thing for stressed homeowners to understand. A lien does not prevent you from selling your home; it just has to be paid off (or otherwise resolved) at closing. The lien gets satisfied directly from the sale proceeds before anything else goes to you.
The challenge is that traditional buyers and their lenders often run from properties with liens. Banks won’t issue a mortgage on a home with unresolved title issues, which means the typical 60–90 day MLS sale becomes a nightmare of delays, re-inspections, and renegotiations. That’s where a cash home buyer changes everything. Cash buyers don’t need lender approval and can close around the lien.
At Homeinc, our title team handles lien payoffs on properties every single week. We’ve seen everything from $400 code violations to six-figure IRS liens. There is almost always a workable path — the key is moving quickly and working with a buyer who is set up to handle these situations.
How a Cash Sale Solves the Tax Lien Problem
When you sell your home for cash to Homeinc, the process is built to handle complications like liens without dragging on for months. We make an offer based on the property’s as-is condition, our title company pulls a full title search to identify every lien attached to the home, and at closing we use the sale proceeds to pay those liens off directly to the county, the IRS, or whoever is owed.
You walk away with the remaining equity in cash and a clean record. No appraisals to fail. No lender to back out. No buyer demanding repairs. If you’d like to see exactly how the process works step by step, our How It Works page lays it all out — most sellers close in 7 to 21 days.
Even better, you sell your Florida home with a lien in as-is condition. No repairs needed, no cleaning, no staging — Homeinc takes the property exactly as it stands today, lien and all.
What If the Lien Is Larger Than My Home’s Value?
This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the answer surprises people. Even when the liens add up to more than the property is currently worth, there are still paths forward. The IRS, for example, will sometimes agree to a lien discharge or certificate of subordination in a sale that benefits the government. Counties will occasionally negotiate code-enforcement liens to encourage rehab and resale.
Homeinc’s team has experience navigating these conversations with taxing authorities on behalf of sellers. We can’t guarantee a result, but we can usually find a creative solution that gets the property sold and gets you out from under the debt — sometimes with money still left in your pocket.
Compare this to listing with an agent, where every contingency creates another reason for the deal to fall apart. If you want a real side-by-side, our cash buyer vs. realtor breakdown shows exactly where the traditional route breaks down for distressed properties.
What About IRS Liens and Federal Tax Issues?
Federal tax liens are stickier than county liens but they are still solvable. The IRS publishes clear procedures for “discharging” property from a federal tax lien so a sale can close. Generally, if the sale will pay the IRS what it would have received anyway (or more), the IRS will allow the property to be sold and the lien released against that specific piece of real estate.
The application process takes time — typically 30 to 45 days — which is another reason traditional sales fall apart. Homeinc’s flexible timeline means we can wait for the IRS paperwork while still locking in your offer. You don’t have to chase another buyer if the IRS process drags. We’re with you until closing.
For situations where you also need help understanding your options before deciding to sell, the CFPB’s free housing counselor directory can connect you with HUD-approved counselors who give unbiased advice at no cost.
Why Florida Homeowners Choose Homeinc for Lien Situations
Homeinc has been buying houses across Florida for years, and we specialize in the complicated cases other buyers won’t touch. Tax liens, code violations, probate, foreclosure, fire damage, inherited properties — we’ve handled all of it. Our offers are fair, our process is transparent, and we cover all standard closing costs.
When you call Homeinc, you talk to a real person who actually listens to your situation. We won’t pressure you, we won’t lowball you with a bait-and-switch offer, and we won’t disappear if the lien situation gets complicated. We also have specialist pages if you’re facing related issues — whether you need to stop a Florida foreclosure or sell an inherited home with title problems.
If you’re ready to stop worrying about that lien and move on with your life, Homeinc is here to help. Call us today or fill out the form at homeinc.com/get-an-offer for a free, no-obligation cash offer. Most sellers receive a number within 24 hours and can close in under three weeks — lien included.