Manistee County Treasurer ↗
The County lists delinquent real-property tax collection and foreclosure information among this office's responsibilities. Address: 415 Third Street, Manistee, MI 49660. Phone: 231-723-3173.
Manistee, Michigan · Manistee County
Can I Sell My Manistee House 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.
Yes. USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in the City of Manistee and Manistee County, Michigan, including houses with back taxes or liens. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
Call 888-274-5006 to talk through the property and ask for a cash offer, or use the form to start with the address and notice you have.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the property address and what you know about the lien, payoff, or tax notice.
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 title company checks ownership and recorded claims for the sale. The creditor or tax office supplies the current payoff amount and instructions; those figures are reviewed for the closing statement.
A payoff is separate from closing costs. Our closing-cost promise covers closing costs, including the Michigan state and county real estate transfer taxes described below; mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes remain separate amounts.
Records that help — and who checks the balance
You can call before you have every document. Start with the property address and any tax bill, delinquency or foreclosure notice, mortgage payoff statement, lien or court notice, parcel number, or creditor or case number you have.
For delinquent real-property taxes and county foreclosure information, the Manistee County Treasurer is the office to ask about the current account and notice. For recorded deeds, mortgages, and other land records, use the County Register of Deeds. The title company checks the recorded claims and requests the transaction-specific payoff information; the office or creditor confirms its own current balance.
If you only have part of the notice or do not know the parcel number, call anyway. You do not have to assemble the whole file before talking with us.
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 and the notice
Tell us the Manistee address, what you know about the lien or tax account, and any date on a notice. Start with what you have; you do not need to resolve the balance before calling.
2. Review written terms before deciding
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. You get a written offer and written terms before you commit. Read the proposed price, responsibilities, payoff treatment, and closing terms before deciding whether to go ahead.
3. Let the title company check the records
If you choose to sell, closing is through a title company. It reviews ownership and recorded claims, while the lender, creditor, or tax office provides current payoff figures and instructions for the property.
4. Review the closing figures and close
The closing statement shows the sale amount, payoffs, taxes, closing costs, and what remains after those items. The final amounts use the current payoff information and title work for your sale.
It's real estate. Sometimes there are bumps in the road. We won't disappear when that happens, and we'll be fighting to get this to the closing table.
Manistee County and City offices for records
The City of Manistee is separate from Manistee Township and Filer Township. The County lists those local governments separately, so check the parcel and local unit before relying on a City office for a property outside City limits.
See Manistee County's local-unit directory →
Manistee County Register of Deeds ↗
Use the office's recorded-document and land-record routes for deeds, mortgages, and other recorded documents. It lists 415 Third Street, Manistee, MI 49660, and says it does not provide legal advice or run title searches for users. Phone: 231-723-2146.
Manistee County Equalization Department ↗
Use this office for county assessment-roll, tax-map, parcel-description, and GIS information. Address: 415 Third Street, Manistee, MI 49660. Phone: 231-723-5957.
City of Manistee Assessor ↗
For a property inside City limits, contact the City Assessor about City property-tax administration and assessment information. Address: 70 Maple Street, Manistee, MI 49660. Phone: 231-398-2802.
Tax foreclosure, mortgage foreclosure, and transfer-tax facts
A tax notice and a mortgage-foreclosure notice are different. Use the notice and the office responsible for that process to check the current balance, status, and any deadline.
Delinquent taxes and county foreclosure information
Manistee County's Treasurer lists delinquent real-property tax collection and foreclosure information among its responsibilities. The County also publishes a property foreclosure timeline. For a specific account or notice, ask the Treasurer about the parcel and current status. This county tax process is separate from a lender's mortgage foreclosure.
Contact the Manistee County Treasurer → Read the County property foreclosure timeline →
Mortgage foreclosure and a sheriff's sale
A Michigan mortgage-foreclosure auction is commonly called a sheriff's sale. A sale may still be possible if the required payoff or redemption can be completed before the applicable deadline. In a foreclosure by advertisement, six months after the sale is the most common redemption period, but shorter and longer periods apply. Redemption requires the sale amount plus required interest and charges, not just the missed payments. Check the sale status, exact deadline, and amount with the title company or an attorney before relying on a closing date.
Michigan foreclosure stages → Michigan mortgage-foreclosure redemption law → More about Manistee foreclosure questions →
Michigan state and county real estate transfer taxes
For an ordinary taxable sale, Michigan's state real estate transfer tax is $3.75 for each $500 of the property's value at the time of sale, or part of $500. The county real estate transfer tax is generally another 55 cents for each $500, or part. At the 55-cent county rate, a $100,000 taxable sale has $750 in state tax and $110 in county tax, or $860 total. The seller is generally responsible under state law. State and county exemptions are separate, so the actual county, sale value, and any exemption need to be checked for the specific sale.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Michigan state and county real estate transfer taxes. Your mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate from that closing-cost promise.
Michigan state transfer-tax law → Michigan county transfer-tax law →
Compare possible net proceeds
Use the editable Manistee home-sale net proceeds calculator with your own estimated value, mortgage payoff, lien or tax amount, repairs, cleanout, carrying costs, and closing costs. Just an estimate — the actual number could be more or less depending on the home's condition.
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
Manistee property liens and back taxes questions
Can I sell my Manistee house with back taxes or liens before paying them?
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 with back taxes and liens; the current amounts and payoff instructions are checked for the sale.
How are liens and back taxes paid at closing?
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Your liens are paid off from the sale at closing. A creditor or tax office provides the current payoff amount and instructions, which are reviewed with the title company.
Who can confirm my current property-tax balance in Manistee County?
The Manistee County Treasurer lists delinquent real-property tax collection and foreclosure information among its responsibilities. Contact the office with the parcel information and notice so it can confirm the current account and status.
Where can I check recorded liens, deeds, or parcel information?
The Manistee County Register of Deeds provides recorded-document and land-record routes. County Equalization provides assessment-roll, parcel-description, tax-map, and GIS information. A title company checks ownership and recorded claims for a specific sale.
Is a county tax foreclosure the same as a mortgage foreclosure?
No. A delinquent-property-tax or county foreclosure notice is different from a lender mortgage foreclosure. The County Treasurer and its property-foreclosure timeline cover county information; a Michigan mortgage foreclosure auction is commonly called a sheriff’s sale and has separate deadlines.
What if my mortgage payoff is more than the house is worth?
Think the payoff is more than the house is worth? Ask us — we've gotten lenders to come down before.
What records should I have when I call?
Start with the property address and whatever you have: a tax bill or delinquency notice, payoff statement, lien or court notice, parcel number, creditor or case number, or deed. You can call before you have everything gathered.
What happens after I contact you?
We discuss the property and the information you have, then give you written terms before you decide. If you choose to sell, a title company reviews ownership and recorded claims, obtains current payoff information, and prepares the closing figures.
Talk through the property
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form. Start with the Manistee address and whatever notice or payoff information you have.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the property address and what you know about the lien, payoff, or tax notice.