Property taxes are the main reason that many of our sellers come to us shouting “Please help sell my house in St. Louis.” Property taxes are imposed by the local government to help finance various municipal and county costs. These taxes pay for the police and fire personnel in your area and help to fund utility services and public schools. In order to meet the budget, the county government must collect a certain amount of taxes. If you are unable to pay this obligation, the government may begin to take legal action and you may even be at risk of losing your home.
As the situation progresses and you can’t pay the property tax for your home, the steps taken by the government will progress, as well. Here you will learn what happens during this process, what to expect and how you may be able to get help and save your home and not be left asking “Do I need to sell my house in St. Louis?”
Penalties and Interest Begins to Accrue: If you can’t pay your property taxes when they are due, the government will begin to charge you interest. This interest will accrue, in most cases, on a monthly basis. You may also see penalties begin to add up. This means the total you originally owed for your property taxes will continue to increase making selling your home a viable option. If the delinquency on your account continues, the government may publish a notice in the local newspaper about your inability to pay your property taxes making the choice to hop on Google to begin the search for “How can I Sell my house in St. Louis” a wise decision.
Your Options: While this can be a stressful and frustrating time, there are some options for you to consider. For example, if you have fallen so far behind on your taxes that you have received a tax sale notice, then you need to speak with an attorney. There are a number of county governments who will allow you to request tax abatement due to hardship. If your property taxes are abated by the government, you will no longer own them and you will not be in danger of a foreclosure or a tax sale of your home.
However, prior to tax abatement, you must prove your case and situation. This means being able to convince the government that your income is only enough to meet your base living expenses. If you have a large number of expenses that are considered unnecessary in your budget, or you have equity in your home, then the government will likely deny the tax abatement request.
Another option you may have when you need property tax help is to set up an installment plan for paying the taxes; this may help from having to sell. This is an option available if you are unable to pay the full amount. With this plan in place, instead of paying all of the owed taxes at once, you will only be required to pay half of the amount, two times, prior to the due date. This will clear the tax debt and help you avoid having to come up with the whole amount and stop you from having to sell. This also helps to minimize the potential that you will have interest and penalties applied to your property taxes. Tax deferral is another option you may want to discuss with a property tax lawyer, but a legit option to stop asking “Do I need to sell my house in St. Louis because of back property taxes”.
Help from Your Lender: If a tax lien is purchased by an investor against your property, and they foreclose on it, this can make a situation where you are unable to pay your property taxes even worse for your mortgage lender. There are some lenders that choose to purchase the tax lien, instead of allowing a third party to do so which may mean you won’t have to sell your home. However, this is not a situation that will get you off of the hook. The lender may also add the taxes they had to pay to the balance of your mortgage. While this may solve the initial issue of not being able to pay, if you do not pay your lender, then they can foreclose on your home and you may lose the chance to work with cash homebuyers in St. Louis.
Failing to pay your property taxes can result in both legal and financial ramifications. Getting to know the local ordinances in your county will help you better understand the potential consequences that you face if you can’t pay property taxes. Not paying a certain amount of your taxes is the absolute worst thing that you can do. In most situations, the local government will work with you if you talk with them, or hire a lawyer to represent you. The key is the resolve the debt by the time the due date approaches, so you don’t lose your home to foreclosure or find yourself scrambling, asking all your connections, “Who do you know that can help me sell my house in St. Louis” at the last moment.
As a last resort, St. Louis Realty Advisors will work with sellers asking “How can I sell my house in St. Louis when I owe delinquent taxes?” To learn more about this option that will leave you with cash in hand, call us today at 314-227-0000.