Selling a house with delinquent property taxes in Shelby County
Unpaid property taxes do not stop you from selling. Back taxes, interest and penalties are paid out of the sale proceeds at closing, the same way a mortgage is.
The risk is waiting too long. Delinquent properties in Shelby County can end up in a tax sale.
How tax sales work in Shelby County
- The Chancery Court Clerk & Master runs the auctions for delinquent real property taxes for Memphis, Shelby County and its municipalities.
- Since April 2024, Shelby County tax sales are held online.
- A tax sale is not complete until a Chancellor signs an order confirming it.
- Tennessee law gives owners a period to redeem after a sale; the Clerk & Master's Tax Sale Department, (901) 222-3900, can tell you where your property stands.
What we can do
- We buy houses with back taxes owed. The title company pays them from the proceeds at closing.
- If a tax sale date is close, we can work to close before it.
Options besides selling to us
- If you want to keep the house, contact the Shelby County Trustee or the Clerk & Master about paying the balance.
- If you have equity and time, a traditional listing may net more.
Want to see how a cash offer stacks up against listing? Run the comparison.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules change; confirm with an attorney or the agency named above.