Sell a House With Back Taxes or a Tax Lien in Knoxville, TN
Knox County delinquent parcels are turned over to the delinquent tax attorney and pursued in Chancery Court, and by the time a suit is filed the balance includes interest, penalty, attorney fees, and court costs. We order the payoff from the Trustee, pay it at closing, and you keep the rest.
What you are dealing with
Sound familiar?
- Several years of taxes, interest, and penalties compounding
- A delinquent tax suit filed with your name in the caption
- A tax sale date you cannot afford to redeem out of
- Buyers and lenders who will not touch a property with a lien on it
Where we see this around Knoxville
We buy in Downtown, Old City, Fourth & Gill, Fort Sanders, Sequoyah Hills and across Knox County, near the University of Tennessee.
- Downtown
- Old City
- Fourth & Gill
- Fort Sanders
- Sequoyah Hills
- Holston Hills
- Lonsdale
- Mechanicsville
Zip codes: 37902, 37909, 37912, 37914, 37915, 37916, 37917, 37918, 37919, 37920, 37921, 37922, 37923, 37924, 37931, 37932
How it works in Knox County
The local process, step by step
- Step 1
Delinquency
County taxes become delinquent on March 1 following the year they were due, and interest and penalty begin accruing monthly.
- Step 2
Delinquent tax suit
The county files suit in Chancery Court against parcels that remain unpaid, adding attorney fees and court costs to the balance.
- Step 3
Tax sale and redemption
The parcel is sold at a court-ordered sale. Tennessee law provides a redemption period after confirmation -- commonly one year, though it can be shorter depending on how long the taxes were delinquent.
Knox County offices involved
- Probate
- Probate is handled by the Knox County Chancery Court, Probate Division, at the City-County Building at 400 Main Street downtown. An executor with letters testamentary can sign a sale contract once the court has appointed them. Tennessee has no statutory right of redemption after a foreclosure sale in most deeds, but tax-sale purchases carry a one-year redemption period. Probate in Tennessee typically runs 6-12 months; a house can be sold during probate with court approval or by the executor once appointed.
- Delinquent taxes
- Delinquent property taxes are collected by the Knox County Trustee. Parcels that stay unpaid are turned over to the Clerk & Master and sold at tax sale through Chancery Court, and a tax-sale purchase carries a one-year redemption period.
- Codes
- Knoxville handles property maintenance and codes cases inside the city limits; anything outside goes through Knox County codes administration.
- Permits
- Building permits for work inside Knoxville are issued by the city, with Knox County covering the unincorporated area around it.
Legal notes
- • Redemption periods under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 67, Chapter 5 vary with the length of delinquency; confirm the exact window for your parcel.
- • Tax liens run with the property, so they must be cleared at or before closing.
Your options
- • Pay the balance in full or set up a payment plan with the trustee
- • Redeem the parcel after a tax sale within the statutory window
- • Sell before the sale and let the closing pay the lien off
How we handle it
Selling to us in Knoxville
Yes -- a tax lien is paid at closing out of the sale proceeds, exactly like a mortgage. We order the payoff from the county trustee or the delinquent tax attorney, pay it directly, and you receive whatever is left. If the property has already gone to tax sale, there may still be a redemption window we can work inside.
- We pull the exact payoff from the county trustee and delinquent tax attorney and wire it at closing, penalties and interest included.
- If the property is already set for a tax sale, we move on the schedule the court set, not on a normal 30-day timeline.
- Condition is not a barrier -- many back-tax houses have been sitting empty for years, and we buy them exactly as they stand.
- You get a written offer that shows the taxes coming off the top, so there is no surprise about what you actually walk away with.
We are based here, so a Knoxville walkthrough usually happens the same day you call.
Our process
Three steps, no surprises
- 1
Tell us about the house
Call or send the address. We ask about condition, timing, and what is going on -- not for photographs or a clean house.
- 2
We walk the property
We look at it ourselves as a licensed contractor and price the repairs from real numbers instead of a padded guess.
- 3
Written offer, your date
You get a written, no-obligation offer, usually within 24 hours. You pick the closing date; we can close in as little as seven days.
FAQ
Delinquent Taxes in Knoxville: common questions
- Who do I owe the money to in Knox County?
- Delinquent property taxes are collected by the Knox County Trustee. Parcels that stay unpaid are turned over to the Clerk & Master and sold at tax sale through Chancery Court, and a tax-sale purchase carries a one-year redemption period. We order every payoff -- lender, county, and lienholder -- before closing so there are no surprises on the settlement statement.
- How fast do these cases move in Knox County?
- Faster than most owners expect. We are based here, so a Knoxville walkthrough usually happens the same day you call. Bring us the notice or case number and we will tell you the same day whether a sale can beat the deadline.
- Do I have to pay the taxes before I can sell?
- No. Title cannot transfer with the lien outstanding, but the closing itself pays it -- you do not need cash beforehand.
- What if the taxes are more than the house is worth?
- It happens, particularly on vacant lots and long-neglected houses. Send us the parcel and we will tell you honestly whether a sale can work.
- The property already sold at tax sale. Is it over?
- Not necessarily. If you are inside the redemption period there may still be a path. Get us the case number quickly.
No obligation
Get your Knoxville offer
No repairs, no clean-out, no commissions. Tell us about the property and we will come back with a written number.
Delinquent Taxes in Knoxville
No obligation, no fees, no repairs. Tell us about the property and you get a written cash offer within 24 hours of the walkthrough.
Related
Other situations we buy in around Knoxville
Delinquent Taxes in nearby cities
Delinquent Taxes in Knoxville? Call (865) 277-6808 and we will tell you where you stand.
Call (865) 277-6808This page is general information, not legal or financial advice. Every situation is different — call us and we'll walk through yours.