Property tax liens In Georgia
Georgia homeowners must pay taxes on their property. Usually, the tax amount is based on the assessed value of the property. In Georgia, property is evaluated every year and is taxed at 40% of its full market value. Fair market value in this case means the price a property would sell for in a competitive market. Each county in Georgia has a Board of Assessors that handles the assessments.
If you don’t pay your property taxes, the past-due amount becomes a lien on your house. What is a lien? According to investopedia.com, “A tax lien is a legal claim against the assets of an individual or business that fails to pay taxes owed to the government. In general, a lien serves to guarantee payment of a debt such as a loan, or in this case, taxes. If the obligation is not satisfied, the creditor may proceed to seize the assets.”
A homeowner with a lien for past-due property taxes can hire a real estate attorney to try to negotiate with the county, but there is no guarantee it will be successful. Of course, this route of action costs a lot of money.
Financial hardship and tax liens in Georgia
Unpaid liens generally end up with the homeowner losing their house. In that case, the homeowner will still owe the debt for the lien. To make matters worse, until tax liens in Georgia are paid off, interest and penalties will continue to add up. With each passing day, the homeowner will owe more and more, and get further behind.
If you are experiencing financial hardship and can’t come up with the cash to pay your property taxes, you can ask for a reduction or elimination of your taxes. The laws are complicated and vary according to circumstances. It is extremely important to address the issue early, as soon as you know that you will have difficulties paying your property taxes.
There are various exemptions available in Georgia, including homestead exemptions, and help for the disabled, veterans, and senior citizens. Some seniors may also be eligible for a tax deferment.
Can I sell my house with a tax lien?
How can you resolve a tax lien when all else fails? Say you have gone through the proper channels but can’t get a reduction or elimination on your past-due tax bill, and you don’t have the money to pay it off. At this point, you may be asking yourself, “Can I sell my house with a tax lien?” Yes, the good news is that you can sell your house with a tax lien.
If you don’t have the funds to pay off your tax lien, you probably don’t have the wherewithal to update and make repairs on your house for a conventional house sale through a real estate agent.
Besides, selling your house the traditional way with a real estate agent takes a long time. Keep in mind that your debt is growing daily and time is of the essence. Your best option may be to sell to We Buy Ugly Houses® for cash. We buy houses in all sorts of disrepair, and sometimes even houses with liens. Importantly, we close fast—often in as little as 3 weeks.
How to sell your house to We Buy Ugly Houses®
Just give us a call to set up a free, no-obligation appointment with one of our local property specialists. We will come out to look at your house and are happy to answer any questions. We can frequently give you a fair cash offer the same day we look at your house. If you accept our offer, we’ll get busy closing on the house as soon as possible.
You can trust We Buy Ugly Houses®.
We Buy Ugly Houses has been serving national and local communities, including communities in Georgia, since 1996. We pride ourselves on our 95%* customer approval rating and the many
glowing reviews that we receive.
Call We Buy Ugly Houses® at 866-200-6475 today to resolve your tax lien problem.
