Scioto County Auditor ↗
Search by address, owner, parcel, sales, or delinquent owner, and find separate links to the County Treasurer and County Records. Contact the office named on a tax notice for the current balance.
Portsmouth, Ohio · Scioto County / Property liens
Can I Sell My Portsmouth 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 for cash in Portsmouth, Ohio and Scioto County. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. You can call before you have every tax notice, payoff statement, or court paper.
Call 888-274-5006 or share the property address in the form. Start with whatever information you have.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the address and what you know about the tax bill, notice, creditor, or payoff.
How payoffs work
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Your liens are paid off from the sale at closing.
Mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes are separate from the closing costs we pay. The current creditor or tax office confirms its amount and instructions; the title company uses those details in the sale figures.
Which records help—and who checks the balance?
The Portsmouth property address is a good start. A tax bill, creditor letter, or court notice can help us see which balance needs checking, but you can call before you have those papers.
The office named on a tax bill or notice confirms its current account. A lender or other creditor provides its payoff amount and instructions. The title company checks ownership and recorded claims for the sale and uses those details in the settlement figures.
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
- Tell us the property address and what you know about the notice or payoff.
- We discuss the house as it stands and give you a written offer and terms to review before you commit. If you choose to sell, closing is through a title company.
- If you choose to proceed, the title company checks ownership and recorded claims. The current tax office, lender, or creditor confirms the payoff amount and instructions that belong to it.
- Review the written settlement figures, including the agreed price, payoffs, taxes, and applicable costs, then close through the title company if you decide to move forward.
Portsmouth and Scioto County records and offices
Use the property address and the office or court named on the notice to find the record and process for your situation.
Scioto County Engineer ↗
The Engineer publishes Scioto County real-estate conveyance standards. Contact the office with questions about current county deed-conveyance steps.
Conveyance standards information → Published standards PDF →
Ohio trial-court directory ↗
The Ohio Supreme Court directory can help locate a trial court. Follow the court and case number shown on your notice for current case information.
Property-tax cases, mortgage foreclosure, and the Ohio conveyance fee
A tax case is separate from mortgage foreclosure
A property-tax foreclosure concerns delinquent real-estate taxes; a mortgage foreclosure concerns a home loan. Ohio tax foreclosures follow a separate process under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5721. For a mortgage foreclosure, Ohio Revised Code §2329.33 generally lets an owner stop the sheriff's sale before the judge confirms it—even after auction—by depositing the full judgment amount, costs, and applicable interest with the court clerk.
For Portsmouth mortgage-foreclosure details, see the Portsmouth foreclosure page.
Ohio conveyance fee
Ohio charges a required conveyance fee of $1 per $1,000 of the sale price, and a county may add up to $3 per $1,000. The Scioto County Auditor can confirm the current county rate and any exemption for a particular deed. Read Ohio Revised Code §319.54 and §322.02.
That charge is the Ohio conveyance fee. When you sell to us, we pay it. For fee questions, contact the Scioto County Auditor; the Recorder handles deed recording, not the conveyance fee.
Compare possible net proceeds
Use the Portsmouth home-sale net proceeds calculator with your own estimates for value, mortgage payoff, liens or back taxes, repairs, and other costs. Just an estimate — the actual number could be more or less depending on the home's condition.
Questions and contact
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form above. Start with the Portsmouth address and the notice or payoff information you have.
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.”
“Facing foreclosure ... Very stressful time... They handled it professionally and got me out of the debt...”
“no open houses. no realtors tracking dirt in. just a straight cash sale for our house so we could move. Glad it's over.”
Portsmouth property-liens and back-tax questions
Can I sell my Portsmouth 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. The responsible office or creditor confirms the current amount and instructions for the property.
Who checks the current tax balance or lien payoff?
The tax office named on your bill or notice confirms its current account. A lender or other creditor provides its payoff instructions. The title company checks ownership and recorded claims for the sale and uses the payoff information in the settlement figures.
Is a property-tax foreclosure the same as mortgage foreclosure?
No. A property-tax case and a lender mortgage-foreclosure case are separate processes with different notices and court records. Follow the current notice and case record for the issue in front of you.
What should I have before I call?
Nothing is required to start—call with the property address. A tax bill, payoff statement, or court notice can help us understand the situation, but you can call before you have them.
What if the payoff is more than my Portsmouth house is worth?
Think the payoff is more than the house is worth? Ask us — we've gotten lenders to come down before. The lender or other creditor still needs to confirm the current payoff for the property.
What happens after I contact USA Home Buyers?
We talk about the house and the information you have, review the property as it stands, and provide written offer terms before you decide. If you choose to proceed, the title company and the responsible offices or creditors check the ownership, claims, payoff instructions, and settlement figures for the sale.