USA Home Buyers

Santa Maria, California · Santa Barbara County

Can I Sell My Santa Maria House With Liens or Back Taxes?

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 Santa Maria and Santa Barbara County, California. Start with the property address and the lien or tax notice you have. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.

We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.

Call 888-274-5006 to talk through the property or ask for a cash offer.

Talk through your lien or tax question

Share the address and whatever you know about the creditor, payoff, tax account, or notice. You can call before you have every record.

We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.

We give written cash offers in 24 hours.

Start with the property address and the lien or tax information you have.

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Prefer to call? 888-274-5006.

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.

A payoff is the current amount and payment instructions a creditor or tax office gives for an account. The title company checks ownership and recorded claims and coordinates current payoff information for closing. Closing costs are separate from mortgage balances, lien amounts, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes; the settlement figures show those items separately.

Which records help, and who checks the balance?

The creditor or tax office gives its current balance and payment instructions; the title company checks recorded property claims and coordinates payoff details. A recent property-tax bill or notice, lien or court notice, mortgage statement, written payoff, creditor name, and parcel or account number can help. Start with what you know; you can call before you have everything.

For the property-tax account, start with the Santa Barbara County Tax Collector's property-tax page. For recorded documents, use the County Clerk-Recorder's document-recording page. The Assessor's property-information page answers a different question from a current payoff balance.

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. 1. Talk about the property

    Share the Santa Maria address, the notice or payoff information you have, and any date that concerns you. You do not have to resolve the records before calling.

  2. 2. Review the house and written terms

    We discuss the house as it stands and put the offer and terms in writing before you decide. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.

  3. 3. Check title and payoff instructions

    The title company checks ownership and recorded claims for the transaction. The relevant creditor or tax office confirms its current payoff and payment or release instructions so the closing figures can be prepared.

  4. 4. Review the closing figures and close

    Review the written sale price, payoffs, taxes, and other settlement figures with the title company before closing. The title company handles the closing and disburses the sale proceeds according to the confirmed instructions.

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.

Santa Maria lien, tax-sale, and transfer-tax facts

Santa Maria's incorporated city area is in Santa Barbara County. Check an individual address or parcel number before routing a property record.

Property-tax notices and mortgage foreclosure are separate

A property-tax delinquency and a mortgage foreclosure are different matters with different notices and responsible parties. Santa Barbara County has separate pages for delinquent property taxes and defaulted tax sales. Ask the County Tax Collector about the current tax account, notice, and sale status. A mortgage foreclosure notice should be checked with the lender, servicer, or named trustee. The California Courts guide to nonjudicial foreclosure explains that state process.

California documentary transfer tax

California county documentary transfer tax is generally $0.55 for each $500 of taxable consideration, or fraction of $500 ($1.10 per $1,000). A city may receive a credited share of that rate, and some cities add a larger tax. The County Clerk-Recorder collects the tax when the deed is recorded; the applicable amount, city tax, and any exemption depend on the transaction and property. See the state rate rule, city tax allocation rule, and the Santa Barbara County transfer-tax page.

When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the county documentary transfer tax and any city transfer tax.

Compare possible net proceeds

Use the editable Santa Maria home-sale net proceeds calculator with your own estimated value, mortgage payoff, lien or tax amount, and costs. Just an estimate — the actual number could be more or less depending on the home's condition.

Open the Santa Maria home-sale net proceeds calculator →

What sellers say about USA Home Buyers

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Santa Maria property liens and back taxes questions

Can I sell my Santa Maria house with liens or back taxes 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. Call with the property address and whatever notice or payoff information you have; you can start before every record is assembled.

Who checks the current lien or property-tax balance?

The creditor or Santa Barbara County Tax Collector provides the current account balance and payment instructions. The title company checks the title records and coordinates the payoff information for closing.

Is a county property-tax sale the same as mortgage foreclosure?

No. A county tax-sale notice concerns delinquent property taxes. Mortgage foreclosure is a separate process; check a mortgage notice with the lender, servicer, or named trustee and use the California Courts guide for the state process.

What if the 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. The creditor confirms the current payoff for the particular property.

What records should I have ready before I call?

Start with the property address or parcel number and any property-tax bill or notice, lien or court paper, mortgage statement, written payoff, creditor name, or account number you have. You can call before you have everything.

What happens after I contact you?

We talk through the property and information you have, then put proposed sale terms in writing before you decide. The title company checks ownership and recorded claims and works with the relevant creditor or tax office on payoff instructions and closing figures.

More Santa Maria seller resources

Read the Santa Maria foreclosure page →Browse Santa Maria seller resources →See how the selling process works →Read more Santa Maria seller answers →

Talk through the property

Call 888-274-5006 or use the form above. Start with the Santa Maria address and the lien or tax information you have.

Call Now 888-274-5006