Sell Your House After a Job Loss or Medical Bills
A house that was comfortable on two incomes, or before the diagnosis, can become the single largest bill in a household almost overnight. Selling before the arrears build is usually the version of this story with the best ending.
When income stops and bills do not, the house is usually the biggest number on the page. Selling it is not giving up -- it is trading a payment you cannot make for cash you can use, before late fees and collections make the hole deeper.
What you are dealing with
Sound familiar?
- A mortgage payment that no longer fits the income
- Medical collections and judgments arriving in the same mailbox
- No money for the paint, carpet, and repairs a listing would demand
- Wanting to protect the equity instead of watching fees eat it
Questions sellers ask us first
- “How much will I actually walk away with?”
- “Can I stay a few weeks after closing while I find a place?”
- “Will medical liens stop the sale?”
What you will need
- • Mortgage statement
- • Any judgment or lien paperwork
- • Photo ID for all owners
How it works in Tennessee
The timeline, the law, and your options
- Step 1
Collections and judgment
An unpaid medical account can become a lawsuit, and a judgment recorded in the county register's office attaches to real property you own.
- Step 2
Lien discovery
Title search at closing surfaces every recorded judgment and lien against the owner.
- Step 3
Payoff or negotiation
Liens are paid or negotiated down at closing so clear title can pass.
Legal notes
- • Judgment liens in Tennessee attach to real property once recorded in the county where the property sits.
- • Some medical creditors will accept a reduced payoff at closing -- it is worth asking.
Your options
- • Refinance or modify to lower the payment
- • Rent the house out and move somewhere cheaper
- • Sell now, clear the debt, and keep the remaining equity
How we handle it
What selling to us looks like
We give you a plain net-proceeds number before you commit to anything, we can leave you in the house after closing while you relocate, and recorded judgments simply get paid or negotiated at closing from the proceeds.
- A written offer within 24 hours of walking the property, so you can make a decision instead of guessing.
- No repairs, no cleaning, no staging -- the deferred maintenance that piled up while money was tight is our problem, not yours.
- We pay standard closing costs, and there are no commissions taken off your side.
- If you need three extra weeks to find a place, we set the closing date around your move, not ours.
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.
Cash offer vs. listing
Compare the net, not the headline price
| Selling to Unique Construct | Traditional listing | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs | None — we buy as-is | Seller pays before listing |
| Commissions | None | Typically 5–6% |
| Closing costs | We cover the standard costs | Often seller-paid |
| Showings | One visit from us | Open houses and lockbox |
| Contingencies | No financing, appraisal, or inspection outs | All three |
| Timeline | As little as 7 days | 45–60 days after a contract |
FAQ
Questions sellers ask
- Can I stay in the house after closing?
- Usually yes. We often give sellers one to four weeks after funding, at no charge, to move at a human pace.
- Do I need to clean the house out?
- No. Take what you want and leave the rest.
- Is there any fee?
- No commissions and no closing costs on our side. The number we quote is the number you plan around.
- Will a medical lien stop the sale?
- No. Liens and judgments are paid from the proceeds at closing, the same as a mortgage. The title company handles the payoffs.
- Can I stay in the house for a while after closing?
- Often yes. We can write a short post-closing occupancy period into the contract when you need time to move.
No obligation
Get a written offer
Tell us what is going on. We will be straight with you about whether selling is actually your best move.
Job Loss / Medical Debt? Get your offer
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
Medical debt or job loss by city
Job Loss / Medical Debt? 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.