How lien and back-tax payoffs work
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Your liens are paid off from the sale at closing.
A payoff is the current amount and instructions for settling what is owed. The lender, creditor, or County office confirms its balance. The title company checks ownership and recorded claims and works with those offices on the sale. Payoffs affect what remains from the sale.
Records and your next step
Start with the property address and what you know about the bill, lien, or notice. A recent tax bill, lender statement, creditor letter, payoff statement, or tax-sale notice can help us understand the situation, but you can call before you have everything. The lender, creditor, or County office confirms its current balance and payoff instructions; we can talk through the papers with you.
Call 888-274-5006 or send the property address using the form.
If the payoff is the problem
Think the payoff is more than the house is worth? Ask us — we've gotten lenders to come down before.
What happens next
- 1. Talk through the house. Share the address and what you know about the lien, tax bill, creditor, or timing. You can start before you have every paper.
- 2. Review the house as-is. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
- 3. Review the written offer and terms. You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company.
- 4. Work through title and payoff details. If you choose to proceed, the title company checks ownership and recorded claims and works with the lender, creditor, or County office on current payoff instructions.
- 5. Close. Close as fast as 7 days when title and closing details allow.
No agent commissions when you sell to us. No fees.
Howard County tax-sale and property records
Elkridge is in Howard County. County Finance handles property-tax, tax-sale, and recordation-tax questions. A Howard County tax sale is separate from a mortgage foreclosure. If you have a tax-sale notice, check with the County about that notice and call us to talk through the timing. For mortgage-foreclosure questions, see the Elkridge foreclosure page.
For deed-recording or land-record questions, call the Howard County Circuit Court Clerk at 410-313-2111 and ask for the current Land Records route and location before visiting.
Howard County Department of Finance — Real Property Tax
Call 410-313-2062 with a Howard County real-property-tax question.
Howard County Department of Finance — Tax Sale
Call 410-313-2299 with a County tax-sale question.
Howard County Department of Finance — Recordation Tax
Call 410-313-2389 with a County recordation-tax question.
Maryland Judiciary — Howard County Circuit Court Clerk
Call 410-313-2111 about deed recording or land records.
Maryland transfer and recordation taxes
Maryland's state transfer tax is 0.5% of the sale price. Each county sets its recordation tax, and a county transfer tax may also apply. State law generally presumes the buyer and seller split these taxes unless the contract says otherwise.
If the buyer is a first-time Maryland home buyer who will live in the house, the state transfer-tax rate is 0.25%; the seller pays the state transfer, recordation, and local transfer taxes unless the parties expressly agree otherwise. Some transfers are exempt. Howard County Finance publishes the local recordation-tax information.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Maryland's state transfer tax, recordation tax and any applicable county transfer tax.
No agent commissions when you sell to us. No fees.
Read the laws: Maryland state transfer-tax law · Maryland county recordation-tax law · Maryland rules on who pays · Maryland transfer-tax exemptions.
Compare what you may keep
Compare a possible sale using your own mortgage payoff, lien or tax amount, repairs, and other costs.
What our sellers say
“LISTEN, PROPERTY TAXES GOT TOO HIGH FOR MY FIXED INCOME. SOLD IT TO THEM. WALKED AWAY WITH CASH. GLAD IT'S OVER.”
“Just wanted to say, taxes were 3 years behind on my house... county was going to auction it... they bought it, paid the taxes at closing, gave me the rest... Thanks...”
Elkridge property liens and back taxes questions
Can I sell my Elkridge house with back taxes or liens before paying them?
Yes. We buy houses with back taxes and liens. When you sell to us, we can set it up so you don't have to prepay anything — it comes out at closing. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Your liens are paid off from the sale at closing.
Who confirms the current payoff amount?
The lender, creditor, or County office confirms its current balance and payoff instructions. The title company checks ownership and recorded claims and works with those offices on the closing figures.
Can I call before I have all the paperwork?
Yes. Start with the property address and whatever bill, letter, or notice you have. You can call before you have every balance or record.
Is a Howard County tax sale the same as a mortgage foreclosure?
No. A Howard County tax sale is separate from a mortgage foreclosure. Each has its own process and notices. Howard County Finance handles County tax-sale questions; mortgage foreclosure questions go through a separate process.
What if the lender payoff is more than my house is worth?
Think the payoff is more than the house is worth? Ask us — we've gotten lenders to come down before.
How are Maryland transfer and recordation taxes handled?
Maryland's state transfer tax is generally 0.5% of the sale price. Each county sets its recordation tax, and a county transfer tax may also apply. State law generally presumes the buyer and seller split these taxes unless the contract says otherwise. For a first-time Maryland home buyer who will live in the house, the state rate is 0.25%, and the seller pays the state transfer, recordation, and local transfer taxes unless the parties expressly agree otherwise. Some transfers are exempt. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Maryland's state transfer tax, recordation tax and any applicable county transfer tax.
What happens after I contact you?
We talk through the house and the information you have. You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company. Close as fast as 7 days when title and closing details allow.
Talk through the property
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form above. Start with the Elkridge address and whatever notice or payoff information you have.