Bartholomew County Recorder
Official county Recorder page for local recorded-property information.
Columbus, IN seller help · Tenant-occupied property
Selling a Columbus, IN House With Tenants Still Living There
You're done — no turnover, no repairs, no more bad tenants.
Yes. USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Columbus, Indiana and Bartholomew County, and you can talk with us while tenants are still there. Selling the house does not by itself cancel the rental agreement; the lease and occupancy still matter.
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form to tell us what is going on.
Talk through your tenant-occupied house
Share the address and what you know about the lease, occupancy, access, repairs, or timing.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Tell us about the property and the tenant situation.
What we do
We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. That includes a Columbus or Bartholomew County house with tenants in place.
You don't always need to evict to sell to us. We buy houses with tenants in place — we've done it many times, including cash-for-keys when that works better for everyone.
A conversation can include the lease, who lives there, access arrangements, rent and deposits, the condition of the house, and whether a tenant move-out discussion might fit your situation. You can call before deciding what to do about occupancy.
Bring us the problem
Lease timing, hard-to-coordinate access, repairs, unpaid rent, deposit records, or a difficult tenant conversation can make a rental hard to sell. Tell us what is happening. We can talk about the house and the tenancy without asking you to pretend those details are settled.
You can call 888-274-5006 to start the conversation; the call is not conditional on having every document or answer ready.
What happens next
1. We discuss the lease, occupancy, and house
Tell us the property address, who lives there, the lease status, access arrangements, the house's condition, and what timing you have in mind. Start with what you know.
2. We review the property and put the offer in writing
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. You can read the written price and terms before you decide.
Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
3. The lease and deposit details are accounted for
Keep the lease, rent information, deposit balance, and any communications or access arrangements together for the closing discussion. The applicable tenancy and deposit details need to be addressed as part of the sale.
4. The title company handles closing
If you choose to move forward, the title company handles the closing. You review the written terms and the lease, occupancy, and deposit arrangements for the transaction.
Local property-record offices
For a Columbus property in Bartholomew County, the county's official pages identify the Recorder and Auditor. These are local property-record starting points; Indiana's tenant and deposit rules are linked in the next section.
Bartholomew County Auditor
Official county Auditor page for local real-property information.
Indiana leases, notice, and security deposits
A sale does not by itself end the rental agreement. The lease, rent, and security-deposit balance need to be accounted for at closing. The rules below help you identify what to discuss for this tenancy.
Indiana Code §32-31-1-4 — month-to-month notice
If you want to end an ordinary month-to-month tenancy, Indiana generally requires notice equal to one rental period. The lease and the reason for ending it can change what is required. A sale alone does not mean the tenant has to move out.
Indiana Code §32-31-3-19 — security-deposit responsibility
Selling the house does not automatically erase the former landlord's security-deposit responsibility. Transferring the deposit and the buyer's notice accepting that responsibility matter. Account for the actual deposit balance and the lease as part of the closing discussion.
Indiana Court of Appeals — May v. Sharp
This September 25, 2025 opinion discusses the effect of a sale on a landlord's security-deposit responsibility. Read it alongside the statute and the facts of the tenancy.
Useful Columbus links
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
Here's what sellers have said about working with us.
“I retired from Carle Hospital after thirty-three years as a nurse and decided to move to Arizona to be near my son. My house in Lincolnwood had been good to me but it needed some work I wasn't willing to do. USA Home Buyers made an offer the day after we spoke. I was in Tucson six weeks later.”
“I'd been renting to UIUC students in Old West Urbana for eleven years. Every August it was the same: new tenants, new damage, new headaches. Last summer I decided I was done. USA Home Buyers bought the place tenant-occupied. Closed in twelve days. I'm out of the landlord business.”
“The Champaign County divorce decree required the house to be sold. It's in Savoy, near the university, good area — but we couldn't agree on anything. One offer was already written up for us and both of us just had to sign. Twelve days and it was done. The attorneys took care of the rest.”
Questions about selling a tenant-occupied house in Columbus
Can I sell my Columbus house while tenants are still living there?
Yes. You can talk with us about a sale while tenants are still in the house. Selling the property does not by itself end the rental agreement, so the lease and occupancy still need to be addressed.
Do I have to evict the tenants before I call?
No. You can call while the house is occupied. You don't always need to evict to sell to us; tell us about the lease and what is happening, and we can discuss the property and possible next steps.
What notice applies to an ordinary month-to-month tenancy in Indiana?
Ending an ordinary month-to-month tenancy generally takes notice equal to one rental period. The lease and the reason for ending it can change what is required, so check the actual agreement and situation.
What happens to the security deposit when the house is sold?
The lease, rent, and security-deposit balance need to be accounted for at closing. A sale does not automatically erase the former landlord's responsibility; transferring the deposit and the buyer's notice accepting that responsibility matter.
What should I tell you about the tenancy?
Start with what you know about the lease, who is living there, rent and deposit records, access arrangements, repairs, notices, and timing. You do not have to resolve every question before calling.
How soon can I get a written cash offer?
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Talk through the tenant situation
Call 888-274-5006 and tell us about the Columbus house, the lease, and what is making the sale difficult.