Madison, Wisconsin · Dane County · 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.
Yes. USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. We buy houses in Madison and Dane County, Wisconsin, for cash. You can call about the property before you have every payoff or record.
Call 888-274-5006 or send the property address to talk through a cash offer.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
Share the address and what you know about the lien, tax notice, or payoff.
You don't need to pay off your back taxes before we settle. We buy houses with back taxes and liens — payoffs get handled through the closing, not by you upfront.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Your liens are paid off from the sale at closing.
A lien is a claim that can affect the property or the money due at closing. A payoff is the current amount and instructions the lender, creditor, or tax office provides to resolve what is owed. An older bill or letter may not show the amount needed now.
The closing-cost promise does not pay your mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, or your share of current property taxes. The creditor or tax office confirms its current amount and instructions; the title company checks ownership and recorded claims and uses the confirmed figures in the closing work.
Start with the Madison property address. If they are handy, keep the parcel number, current tax bill or notice, lender payoff statement, lien or court papers, and any case number nearby. You do not need to gather everything before calling. The title company checks property records, while the lender, creditor, or tax office named on a notice confirms its current balance and instructions.
Think the payoff is more than the house is worth? Ask us — we've gotten lenders to come down before.
Use the office and record that match the question. A recorded land document, a current tax balance, a lienholder payoff, and a foreclosure case are different records; an old bill or one search may not confirm the current amount or status.
This is Dane County's official land-records office for property in the county. Use it to look for recorded land documents. A recorded document is not a current payoff quote; ask the creditor or tax office for its current amount and instructions.
Dane County Register of Deeds → · Online real-estate record search →
Dane County's property-tax guide says City of Madison properties have intermediate installments and that the City Treasurer collects those payments through July 31. Check the current bill and contact the office named on a tax notice for the amount, due date, and payment instructions.
Dane County property-tax guide → · City of Madison Treasurer →
Dane County describes two separate processes. A mortgage foreclosure is a lender proceeding, with foreclosed properties sold by the Dane County Sheriff. In a tax-deed process, tax-delinquent property is transferred to the county, and the County Treasurer offers tax-deeded properties for sale. Follow the current notice and sale information for the process that applies; a mortgage foreclosure date does not establish the status of a tax-deed sale.
Dane County foreclosure and tax-deed process → · Current Dane County tax-deed sale information →
For mortgage-foreclosure questions, read the Madison foreclosure page and follow the court papers and Sheriff sale information.
On a sale that isn't exempt, Wisconsin charges the seller 30 cents for every $100 of the sale price, or part of $100. That's $300 on a $100,000 sale. It is collected when the deed is recorded. Some transfers are exempt, and recording and other closing charges are separate. When you sell to us, we pay the Wisconsin real estate transfer fee.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Your mortgage payoff, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate from that promise.
Sources: Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 77 and Wisconsin Department of Revenue, real estate transfer fee report.
Use your own estimates for the sale price, mortgage payoff, lien or tax amount, repairs, carrying costs, and other costs to compare what you might keep.
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form above. Start with the address and the notice or payoff information you have; you do not need to have every record first.
Yes. When you sell to us, we can set it up so you don't have to prepay anything — it comes out at closing. We buy houses as-is in Madison and Dane County, and payoff details are checked through the closing work.
The lender, creditor, or tax office confirms its current balance and payoff or release instructions. The title company checks ownership and recorded claims and works with the confirmed information for the closing figures.
Start with the property address. If you have them, keep the current tax bill or notice, lender payoff statement, lien or court papers, parcel number, and case number nearby. You can call before you have every record.
No. Dane County describes mortgage foreclosure as a lender proceeding with properties sold by the Sheriff. Its tax-deed process is separate: tax-delinquent property is transferred to the county, and tax-deeded properties are then offered by the County Treasurer. Follow the notice and current sale information for the process that applies to the property.
Think the payoff is more than the house is worth? Ask us — we've gotten lenders to come down before.
Here's what sellers have said about working with us.
“After the Chrysler supplier closed, I was out of work for fourteen months and never really caught back up. The mortgage servicer filed in Winnebago County and I didn't know what to do. USA Home Buyers explained where the Illinois judicial timeline was, gave me a written offer in forty-eight hours, and we closed in twelve days before judgment. I came out with $28,000.”
“The sewer line backed up into the basement twice in two years — the city said it was a main line issue they were working on. Second time we had four inches of sewage in the basement and the HVAC system was a complete loss. USA Home Buyers came out two days after I called. Fair number, closed in fourteen days.”
“I'd worked at the Chrysler supplier in Belvidere for nineteen years when the plant shut down. Then a job offer came in from a manufacturer in Indianapolis — good opportunity, but I had four weeks to figure out the house. USA Home Buyers gave me a real number the next day. We closed in ten days. I made the Indianapolis start date with a week to spare.”
Prices, timing and your selling options
Homes in Madison, WI sold for a median of $447,000 for the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin). Repairs and condition affect what someone will pay for your house. Homes in Madison, WI spent a median of 45 days on the market for the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin). You still have bills while waiting to sell, including utilities and any mortgage payments. Allow time for closing, too.