Behind on property taxes · Hampton Roads, Virginia
Behind on property taxes? Let the sale pay them off.
You don’t have to find the money first. Back taxes, penalties and interest are usually paid to the treasurer from the sale at closing. Ask for a fair, no-obligation cash offer, fast, as-is.
- No obligation
- No repairs, as-is
- No agent commissions
- U.S. Navy veteran-owned He knows PCS orders firsthand.
- A contractor’s eye Repairs priced honestly.
- Hampton Roads local Not a franchise or an app.
- As-is, any condition No repairs, no cleaning.
Where you are
The tax bill came, and then the next one.
Maybe the mortgage was paid off, and with it went the escrow account that quietly paid the taxes. Maybe the bill lands on a house you inherited, or a rental that stopped paying for itself. Or money got tight, and the tax bill seemed like the one that could wait.
Then the next notice came with penalties and interest added, and catching up stopped looking possible. Now there may be a letter that says “tax sale.”
Until a tax sale actually happens, the house is still yours, and so is the decision. Selling is one way through, and the back taxes come out of the sale, not your pocket.
Virginia law
How a property tax sale works in Virginia, and how to stop one.
In Virginia, a tax sale goes through the circuit court, with notice and real chances to stop it. The rules that matter:
Educational, not legal advice. This section explains general Virginia rules in plain language, reviewed . Every situation is different, so talk to a Virginia attorney before you act on it.
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Generally, two years of delinquency first
A city can generally move to sell a home for unpaid real estate taxes once those taxes are still delinquent on December 31 after the second anniversary of their due date. Shorter timelines can apply to some property assessed at $100,000 or less, after a court finding.
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Blighted or condemned houses can move sooner
For a condemned structure, a nuisance, a derelict building or a blight declaration, the wait drops to the first anniversary of the due date, and in some localities sooner still.
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A warning letter that offers a payment plan
The first formal warning comes by mail. The tax collector has to send it at least 30 days before filing a tax-sale case in court, and it has to tell you that you can ask the treasurer for a payment plan of up to 72 months.
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A payment plan can pause the case
The treasurer may, but doesn’t have to, pause a tax-sale case if the owner signs an installment agreement of no more than 72 months. New bills must be paid as they come due. After a default the treasurer can void the agreement on 15 days’ notice, and the owner can’t get another one on that property for three years.
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Paying in full before the sale date stops it
An owner can stop a tax sale by paying everything owed, meaning the taxes, penalties, interest, reasonable attorney fees and costs, at any time before the date of the sale. Paying only some of it leaves the sale on track.
Your options
Your real options for back property taxes, weighed honestly.
If you want to keep the house and can afford it, start with the treasurer. If it has become a weight you can’t carry, a sale may be the cleaner way out.
| Option | What it involves | A good fit when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay the balance in full | Pay the back taxes, penalties, interest and any costs, using a written payoff figure from the treasurer. | Savings, family help or another source covers the whole amount. | The balance keeps growing while it sits, and paying part of it won’t stop a tax sale. |
| Set up a payment plan | Ask the treasurer for an installment agreement, which Virginia caps at 72 months. | You want to stay, and can afford the plan payment on top of each new tax bill. | The treasurer decides whether to agree, and one default can end the plan. |
| Borrow against the house | Refinance, or take out a home equity loan, and use it to pay the taxes. | You have equity, steady income and credit a lender will approve. | It turns a tax bill into a monthly loan payment, and approval is up to the lender. |
| Repair and list it | Make repairs, list with an agent and wait for a financed buyer. The taxes are paid from the sale at closing. | The house shows well and there is time to market it before a tax-sale case moves forward. | Can bring a higher price, but repairs, showings and a buyer’s loan come first, and commissions come out of the price. |
| Our offer Sell it to us as-is, back taxes and all | One cash offer for the house as it stands. The back taxes, penalties and interest are paid off from the sale at closing. | You can’t or don’t want to keep the house, it needs work, or you want a closing date you control. | Usually less than a fixed-up house might list for, and the price has to cover the taxes and any mortgage. |
Waiting is a choice too, but it costs. Once a tax-sale case is filed, the amount needed to stop it also includes reasonable attorney fees and court costs (Va. Code § 58.1-3965(B)), so the number to beat keeps rising. Get your cash offer, then decide.
When the tax bill wins
What a direct sale to Angel takes off your plate.
When the taxes fall behind, the upkeep usually has too. One sale settles both.
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The taxes come off the top
The title company pays the treasurer, and any mortgage, from the sale at closing. What remains is paid to you.
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Repairs priced with a contractor’s eye
If money was short for the tax bill, it was probably short for the roof too. Angel knows repair work from his own contracting jobs, so the repair estimate inside your offer is what the work really costs, not a cushion. You fix nothing first.
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No bank loan to wait on
No waiting on a buyer’s bank loan, no open houses, no agent commissions, and we cover standard closing costs.
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A Navy veteran, right here
A Navy veteran himself, Angel is local to Hampton Roads, not a national franchise or an app. If time away on orders is how a tax bill slipped through, you won’t have to explain it twice.
Sellers
In their words
Saved me from a huge headache!
I inherited a property that needed a massive amount of work—roof leaks, outdated plumbing, you name it. I didn’t have the time or funds to fix it up before putting it on the market. Remodeling Investment Group came through with a fair cash offer within 24 hours. The process was smooth, transparent, and we closed in under two weeks. Couldn't recommend them enough!
Marcus T. Seamless experience from start to finish.
I had to relocate for a new job on short notice and needed to sell my home fast without dealing with endless open houses or repair demands from retail buyers. Remodeling Investment Group made a direct cash offer, handled all the paperwork, and let me pick my closing date. Truly stress-free!
Elena R. Perfect solution for landlords ready to step away.
After dealing with problematic tenants and constant repairs on my rental property, I was ready to exit. Remodeling Investment Group bought the property as-is—no cleaning or repairs required. They were honest, polite, and kept every promise they made. A top-tier team!
David K.
How it works
Selling a house when you owe back taxes, start to finish.
You can stop at any point before you sign.
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Send the address
It takes a few minutes online. Mention any tax-sale letter or court date, so we can plan the closing around it.
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Get the number in writing
Angel reviews the house in its current condition and makes a fair, no-obligation cash offer, fast.
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Check it against what’s owed
Compare the offer with your tax balance and any mortgage. The title company confirms the exact payoff figures before closing.
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Close, and the taxes get paid
On the date you pick, once title is clear, the back taxes are paid from the sale at closing, and we cover standard closing costs.
Before you call
Paperwork worth finding (if it’s easy to find).
None of this is required to ask for an offer. It helps the title company later.
- Your latest tax bill or delinquent notice. It shows the balance and which tax years are behind.
- Any letter about a tax sale. Especially one from the court, an attorney or the treasurer.
- A payment plan agreement. If you signed one, its terms affect the payoff.
- A mortgage statement, if there’s a loan. Any loan on the house is paid off at closing too.
- Your attorney’s name. If someone is already helping you, we’re glad to work with them.
Can’t find the notices? Request your offer anyway. The treasurer can supply the balance later.
Questions
Back property taxes in Virginia: what owners ask
Can I sell my house if I owe back property taxes in Virginia?
Yes. The back taxes, penalties and interest are normally paid to the treasurer from the sale at closing. Under Va. Code § 58.1-3965(B), paying everything owed before the sale date stops a tax sale, and a closing that pays it all off in time does exactly that.
I got a tax-sale letter. How much time do I have?
It depends on the letter and the tax years behind it, so call the treasurer for a written payoff and read every date on the notice. As a rule, a Virginia locality can’t sell a home until the taxes are still unpaid on December 31 after the second anniversary of their due date, or the first anniversary for a condemned or blighted house (Va. Code § 58.1-3965(A)). Until the sale date itself, paying everything owed still stops it, and a closing can do that for you.
Can I get a payment plan for delinquent property taxes?
You can ask the treasurer for one, up to 72 months, and the treasurer may pause a tax-sale case while you keep to it (Va. Code § 58.1-3965). New bills still have to be paid as they come due.
The back taxes are on a house I inherited. What can I do?
An heir with a share of the house can ask to be added to the tax-sale case and, if the court finds an ownership interest, enter their own installment agreement within 30 days of that finding (Va. Code § 58.1-3965(C)). If nobody wants to keep it, a sale pays the taxes and leaves the rest for the heirs. Watch the timing: a sale by an heir within one year of the death is generally not valid against the deceased’s creditors unless certain conditions are met (Va. Code § 64.2-534), so have an estate attorney check it first.
Will I get any money if I sell a house that owes back taxes?
If the house is worth more than what is owed against it, yes. What is left after the taxes, any mortgage and the sale costs is paid to you at closing, and you see that number before you sign.
Why did my property tax bill go up when the rate didn’t change?
Often because assessments went up. Newport News kept its rate at $1.18 per $100 for FY2027 while total assessed value rose 3.56 percent. Hampton kept its $1.14 rate for FY2027 and listed growth in real estate assessments among the reasons revenue is projected to rise. The same rate on a higher assessment means a bigger bill.
I’m a disabled veteran. Do I have to pay property tax in Virginia?
Maybe not. Virginia exempts the home of a veteran rated by the VA as having a 100 percent service-connected, permanent and total disability, when the veteran lives there as a principal residence (Va. Code § 58.1-3219.5). Localities can also offer relief for owners 65 and older or permanently and totally disabled (§ 58.1-3210). Ask your city before you decide to sell.
Educational, not legal advice. Answers about Virginia law cite the Code section they rely on.
Related
Dealing with more than one of these?
Back taxes rarely come alone. An inherited house, a mortgage that slipped or repairs that piled up can all be settled in one sale.
We buy houses with back taxes in all seven Hampton Roads cities
Sources
- Va. Code § 58.1-3965 (opens in a new tab)
- Va. Code § 64.2-534 (opens in a new tab)
- City of Newport News: ordinance reordaining Sec. 40-12, FY2027 real estate tax rate ($1.18 per $100) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Hampton: City Council votes to approve FY2027 budget (news release, May 14, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Va. Code § 58.1-3219.5 (real property tax exemption for disabled veterans) (opens in a new tab)
- Va. Code § 58.1-3210 (local tax relief for owners 65 and older or permanently disabled) (opens in a new tab)
Code sections link to the official text. Last reviewed . Laws change; we re-check these sources when the page is updated. Educational, not legal advice.
No cost to ask · As-is · Your date
Find out what’s left after the taxes are paid.
Enter the address and, if you know it, roughly what’s owed. Angel will come back with a fair, no-obligation cash offer, fast. If it works, close on the date you pick, once title is clear, and the back taxes are paid at closing.
- Send the address and a few details. A few minutes, no obligation.
- Get a fair cash offer. For the house as-is.
- Pick your closing date. We close on it once title is clear.
Rather talk it through? Call (757) 386-0307 or send a text.