Behind on Property Taxes in Houston? Know Your Options Before a Tax Sale
Falling behind on property taxes happens to a lot of Houston families, especially as bills have climbed. The penalties grow every month, but you still have choices. You can set up a payment plan, file for a deferral if you qualify, or sell the house for cash and let the title company pay the back taxes at closing.
- Back taxes paid at closing
- Nothing out of pocket
- No repairs
- Honest advice on other options
Get Your Cash Offer Before a Tax Sale
Share the address and whether you’ve received a tax lawsuit, and Wally Joe will call you back with a fair cash offer. The back taxes are paid from the sale. Prefer to talk first? Call 713 231 8030.
Got a tax lawsuit or sale date? Call instead, it’s faster.
713 231 8030- Your details stay private
- No obligation offer
- Taxes paid at closing
What Happens If You’re Behind on Property Taxes in Houston?
In Harris County, property taxes are due January 31. Unpaid taxes become delinquent on February 1, with a 6% penalty and 1% interest that keep growing each month. On July 1, a 15% to 20% collection fee is added. If the taxes stay unpaid, the taxing units can sue, win a judgment, and sell the house at a monthly tax sale. You can stop that by paying, setting up a plan, filing a deferral if you qualify, or selling the house first.
Harris County delinquent property taxes: key facts
- Taxes are due January 31 and become delinquent February 1.
- The combined penalty and interest starts at 7% on February 1, and both keep growing each month.
- A collection fee of 15% to 20% is added to delinquent real property accounts on July 1.
- Harris County tax sales are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the Bayou City Event Center, 9401 Knight Road.
- Homeowners 65 and older or disabled can file a tax deferral affidavit, which stops a tax suit or sale on their homestead.
- After a tax sale, a homestead owner generally has two years to buy the house back, but at a 25% to 50% premium.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
How Delinquent Property Taxes Grow in Harris County
The longer taxes go unpaid, the more you owe. Here’s how a typical year plays out.
| Date | What happens | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| October to November | Tax bills are mailed | Not getting a bill doesn’t excuse a late payment |
| January 31 | Last day to pay without penalty | Owners 65 and older, disabled owners and disabled veterans can ask for a quarter payment plan by this date |
| February 1 | Taxes become delinquent: 6% penalty plus 1% interest | Interest keeps adding 1% a month, and the penalty grows each month through July |
| July 1 | Account goes to the delinquent tax attorneys, with a 15% to 20% collection fee added | Payment plans now go through the attorneys’ office |
| Later | Taxing units can file a lawsuit to collect | Court costs and attorney fees are added to the bill |
| After judgment | The house can be sold at a constable’s tax sale on the first Tuesday | Selling or paying before the sale stops it |
Can You Lose Your House for Unpaid Property Taxes in Texas?
Yes. In Texas, unpaid property taxes are a lien on the house, and that lien comes ahead of your mortgage. If the taxes aren’t paid, the county and other taxing units can sue, get a court judgment and order the house sold.
Harris County lists upcoming tax sale properties on the Tax Office website. The two main collection law firms, Linebarger Goggan Blair and Sampson and Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins and Mott, list the properties they’re handling on their own websites.
If your lender pays your taxes through escrow, the lender may pay the delinquent taxes and add them to your loan. Unpaid taxes can also put you in default on the mortgage itself.
6 Ways to Deal With Back Property Taxes in Houston
| Option | What it does | Best when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay in full | Clears the debt and stops the penalties | You can get the money together | The total grows every month you wait |
| Installment agreement | Spreads the delinquent taxes over monthly payments | You can afford a monthly payment | After July 1, plans are set up through the delinquent tax attorneys |
| Over 65 or disabled tax deferral | Postpones collection on your homestead for as long as you own and live in it | You’re 65 or older, disabled, or a qualifying disabled veteran | Taxes aren’t forgiven. Interest of 5% a year still adds up, and the debt is paid when the home is sold or passes on |
| Protest your appraisal | Can lower next year’s bill | Your HCAD value looks too high | It doesn’t erase what you already owe. Deadline is usually May 15 |
| Property tax loan | A private lender pays the taxes, and you repay them | You need time and have equity | Rates can reach 18% a year, and the lender can foreclose if you fall behind |
| Sell the house | The title company pays the back taxes from the sale | You can’t keep up, or the house needs work | Sell before the tax sale date to keep your equity |
If you’re 65 or older or disabled, the deferral is usually the lowest cost option. Ask HCAD for Form 33.06, the Tax Deferral Affidavit for Over 65 or Disabled Homeowner. If you’ve already been sued, filing it with the court stops the suit.
How Selling Works When You Owe Back Taxes
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Call us or fill out the form
Tell us the address and roughly what you owe in taxes and on any mortgage. If you’ve received a lawsuit or a sale notice, tell us the date.
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Get a written cash offer
We buy the house as is, so you don’t spend money on repairs you can’t afford.
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Close at a title company
The title company gets the exact tax payoff, pays the taxes, penalties and fees from the sale, pays off any mortgage, and pays you what’s left. Once the taxes are paid, the tax suit or sale on your house is over.
You don’t need to pay anything up front to sell. It all comes out of the sale.
Sell Before a Tax Sale vs Wait for the Sale
| Compare | You Stay in Control Sell before the tax sale Your call | Let the tax sale happen |
|---|---|---|
| Your equity | You keep what’s left after taxes and the loan are paid | The house goes to the highest bidder. Any excess money has to be claimed in court |
| The price | You get an agreed price | The opening bid is often set by the judgment amount, not the house’s value |
| Getting it back | Not needed, it’s your sale | Homestead owners generally get two years, but must repay the buyer’s costs plus a 25% to 50% premium |
| Moving out | You choose the date | The new owner can take possession once redemption rights end |
| Control | You decide | The constable and the bidders decide |
What Happens After a Harris County Tax Sale?
If the house sells at a tax sale, the former owner can usually buy it back within a set period. For a homestead or farm land, that’s two years from when the buyer’s deed is recorded. For other property, it’s generally 180 days.
To buy it back, you repay what the buyer paid, plus their costs and a premium. That premium is 25% in the first year and 50% in the second year.
If the house sold for more than the taxes and costs owed, the extra money is held by the court. The former owner has to file a claim to get it, generally within two years of the sale.
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a Texas property tax attorney about your situation.
Be Careful With These
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Property tax loan ads
Some lenders offer fast tax payoffs, but rates can reach 18% a year, and they can foreclose. Read the annual percentage rate and the total cost before you sign.
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People offering to “take over” your taxes
Never sign over your deed to someone who promises to pay the taxes and let you stay.
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Fees to file a homestead exemption
Filing with HCAD is free.
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Ignoring the lawsuit
If you’re served, respond. A default judgment moves the house closer to a sale.
Got an offer or a letter you’re not sure about? Call and ask us.
Property Tax Questions We Hear From Houston Homeowners
How many years can you go without paying property taxes in Texas?
There’s no safe number. Taxes are delinquent the day after January 31. A tax suit can be filed, and once there’s a judgment, the house can be sold. The penalties and fees grow the whole time.
Can I sell my house if I owe back property taxes?
Yes. The title company pays the taxes, penalties and fees out of the sale at closing. You get what’s left after those and any mortgage are paid.
Can I sell after a tax lawsuit has been filed?
Yes, until the tax sale happens. Paying the taxes in full through a sale ends the lawsuit. Tell us the court date or sale date when you call.
Do I have to pay the back taxes before I sell?
No. They’re paid from the sale at closing, so nothing comes out of your pocket up front.
What if I’m over 65 and behind on taxes?
Look into the Texas tax deferral first. Filing Form 33.06 with HCAD stops collection on your homestead while you live there. If you’d still rather sell, we can help.
Can I get my house back after a tax sale in Harris County?
Often, yes, within a set time and at a cost. A homestead owner generally has two years, but must repay the buyer plus a 25% premium in the first year or 50% in the second.
Who do I call about my delinquent tax bill?
Your notice names the law firm or office handling the account. You can also contact the Harris County Tax Assessor Collector or the Harris County Attorney’s Office.
Do you buy houses that need repairs and have back taxes?
Yes. We buy as is, with the back taxes, and factor everything into one written offer.
Stop the Penalties From Growing
If you’re behind on property taxes, call Wally at 713 231 8030 or fill out the form. You’ll get a fair, no obligation cash offer, and the back taxes are paid from the sale at closing. No repairs, no commissions and no money out of your pocket.
- No repairs
- Nothing out of pocket
- No commissions
- Taxes paid at closing
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Your details stay private. Asking costs nothing.