How lien and tax payoffs work
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Your liens are paid off from the sale at closing.
The lender, creditor, or St. Louis County Collector confirms the current amount owed. The title company checks ownership and recorded claims, then works with the office or creditor on the payoff information for closing.
What records can help?
Start with the Kirkwood address and whatever you know. A tax bill or delinquency notice, lien or court paper, payoff statement, or tax-sale notice can help us talk through the situation. You can call before you find every record or balance.
The lender, creditor, or tax office confirms its current payoff amount. When you choose to sell, the title company checks ownership and recorded claims and works the payoff instructions into closing.
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 property
Tell us the address and what you know about the house, tax balance, lien, or notice. You do not need a confirmed payoff to call.
2. Read the written offer and terms
You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company.
3. Work through title and payoffs
If you choose to sell, the title company checks ownership and recorded claims and works with the lender, creditor, or tax office on payoff details for closing.
4. Close through the title company
Close as fast as 7 days when title and closing details allow.
No agent commissions when you sell to us. No fees. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs.
Kirkwood tax-sale and mortgage-foreclosure notices
A St. Louis County tax sale concerns delinquent property taxes. A mortgage foreclosure concerns a home loan; when a deed of trust grants a power of sale, the lender can use a trustee’s sale without a court case. The two notices follow separate processes. The County Collector handles property-tax bills and tax-sale questions. For a mortgage trustee’s sale, read the notice and our Kirkwood foreclosure information.
St. Louis County Collector of Revenue — property-tax and tax-sale questions ↗
Kirkwood and St. Louis County offices
Kirkwood is in St. Louis County. The County Collector handles property-tax accounts and tax-sale questions; the Assessor handles property assessments; and the Recorder of Deeds keeps deeds and other recorded real-estate documents.
St. Louis County Collector of Revenue ↗
Ask about a county property-tax bill, balance, payment, or tax-sale notice.
St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds ↗
Find information about deeds and other recorded real-estate documents.
St. Louis County Assessor ↗
Contact the Assessor with property-record and assessment questions.
Missouri transfer taxes and deed-recording fees
Missouri’s Constitution bars the state, counties, and other local governments from imposing new taxes on a real-estate sale or transfer after December 2, 2010. State law sets county deed-recording fees at $5 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, plus per-document fees. The title company or closing professional confirms the exact recording charges.
- Mo. Const. art. X, §25 — real-estate transfer taxes
- RSMo §59.310 — deed-recording fee per page
- RSMo §59.319 — recorder user fee
- RSMo §59.800 — additional recording fee
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs.
Compare what you might keep
Use the Kirkwood home-sale calculator to compare possible proceeds after costs and payoff amounts.
Open the Kirkwood home-sale net proceeds calculator →
Questions about selling with liens or back taxes
Can I sell my Kirkwood house with back taxes or liens?
Yes. We buy houses in Kirkwood and St. Louis County with back taxes or liens. When you sell to us, we can set it up so you don't have to prepay anything — it comes out at closing.
How are lien and back-tax payoffs handled?
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Your liens are paid off from the sale at closing. The lender, creditor, or tax office confirms the current amount, and the title company works the payoff information into closing.
What records can help when I call?
The property address is enough to start. A current tax bill or notice, lien or court paper, payoff statement, or tax-sale notice can help, and you can call before you have everything.
Is a property-tax sale the same as mortgage foreclosure?
No. A St. Louis County tax-sale notice concerns delinquent property taxes. A mortgage-foreclosure notice concerns a home loan; a lender can use a trustee’s sale when the deed of trust grants a power of sale. Those are separate processes. For a tax-sale question, contact the St. Louis County Collector of Revenue; see our Kirkwood foreclosure page for mortgage-sale information.
What if the payoff is more than my Kirkwood house is worth?
Think the payoff is more than the house is worth? Ask us — we've gotten lenders to come down before.
What happens after I contact USA Home Buyers?
We talk through the house and what you know about the payoff. You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company. The title company checks ownership and recorded claims and works with the lender, creditor, or tax office on payoff details. Close as fast as 7 days when title and closing details allow.
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...”
Talk through the Kirkwood house
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form above. Start with the address and whatever you know about the payoff or notice.