Sell your Florida house with liens on it and settle them at closing.
HBS buys houses directly for cash and as is. A lien does not usually stop a sale by itself. Liens are typically paid from the proceeds at closing, negotiated, or otherwise resolved before the title company will insure the new owner. Tell us what is recorded against the house and we can consider an as-is cash offer that accounts for it.
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We buy houses across Florida, from our home base in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco & Hernando counties. Every purchase depends on property fit, a signed agreement, and title.
What house do you want to sell?
Start with the property address. You do not need photos, repair estimates, or paperwork.
How common Florida liens are handled in a sale.
The title search shows what is recorded against the house. Each type of lien has its own payoff, negotiation, and timing questions.
Mortgages and home equity loans
These are paid from the proceeds at closing using a written payoff from each lender. If the house is worth less than what is owed, the sale needs the lender's agreement or another arrangement before it can close.
HOA and condo association liens
A Florida HOA must give 45 days' notice before recording a lien for unpaid assessments and another 45 days' notice before foreclosing; condo associations must also give 45 days' notice before suing to foreclose. Balances are usually paid at closing using the association's estoppel certificate.
Code enforcement liens
A recorded code fine order becomes a lien on the land. It cannot be foreclosed on a homestead, daily fines are capped by statute but add up quickly, and enforcement boards may reduce fines, often only after the violation is fixed.
Property taxes and tax certificates
Unpaid Florida property taxes become delinquent in the spring and can be sold as tax certificates. Two years after April 1 of the year a certificate was issued, the holder can apply for a tax deed, and the owner can redeem until a tax deed is issued.
Judgment liens
A money judgment becomes a lien on real property in a county when a certified copy is recorded there. Florida's constitution protects a homestead from forced sale for most debts, and the title company decides what it needs to insure over a judgment.
IRS and other federal liens
A federal tax lien is usually paid from the proceeds or handled through the IRS process for discharging a lien from a specific property, which IRS Publication 783 explains.
What can affect your as-is cash offer.
| Input | How it affects the offerPlain English |
|---|---|
| Recorded debt compared with value | We compare verified payoffs and liens with the as-is value to see whether a sale can close and what you would net. |
| Which liens can be reduced | Code fines and some judgments may be reduced by the agency or creditor; mortgages and property taxes generally are paid in full. |
| Deadlines | A tax deed application, foreclosure sale date, or growing daily fine can make the closing date part of the offer. |
| Condition | The house's as-is condition and resale value still drive the price before any liens are paid. |
How the property and local records can change the sale.
Pinellas County
St. Petersburg requires a notarized application and a Code Enforcement Board hearing to reduce or release a lien, and will not reduce liens while violations are still active.
Hillsborough County
Tampa and Hillsborough County code liens are released by the agency that recorded them, so the title company confirms which office must sign off.
Pasco County
Pasco County handles code cases in unincorporated areas, while cities such as New Port Richey and Port Richey run their own code enforcement.
Hernando County
Spring Hill is unincorporated, so Hernando County handles its code cases and liens.
What to gather when liens are recorded against the house.
You do not need exact payoff numbers to start. These documents help the title company confirm them quickly.
Loan statements
Recent mortgage and home equity statements show balances, arrears, and lender contacts.
Association statements
HOA or condo ledgers, demand letters, and any lien or foreclosure notices.
Code, tax, and court papers
Code case numbers and fine orders, tax notices or certificates, and any judgment paperwork.
Anything already negotiated
Payment plans, reduction orders, or settlement letters that change what is owed.
How the cash sale moves from first call to closing.
Send the address and what is recorded
Share notices, statements, and anything you know about the liens. You do not need exact payoff numbers to start.
Get an as-is offer that accounts for the liens
We compare the as-is value with the known liens and explain how they affect what you would net.
The title company clears them at closing
The title company orders payoffs and releases, and the liens are paid or resolved before the deed is recorded.
More help for this Florida home sale.
Check the rules behind this page.
These primary sources explain the rules summarized above. They are not legal, tax, or insurance advice; an attorney, CPA, insurance professional, or building official should confirm how they apply to your property.
Florida Statutes, s. 720.3085 (HOA liens)
Notice periods before an HOA records a lien or forecloses.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 718.116 (condo assessments and liens)
Condo assessment liens and the notice before an association forecloses.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 162.09 (code enforcement fines and liens)
Fine caps, liens, the homestead foreclosure bar, and fine reductions.
Open official sourceCity of St. Petersburg Codes Compliance
The city's lien reduction and release process.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 197.502 and s. 197.472 (tax deeds and redemption)
When a certificate holder can apply for a tax deed; s. 197.472 covers redemption before a deed issues.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 55.10 (judgment liens)
How a recorded judgment becomes a lien on real property.
Open official sourceIRS Publication 783 (lien discharge)
How to apply to discharge a federal tax lien from a property being sold.
Open official sourceLiens and Judgments cash-sale questions.
Usually, yes. Liens are typically paid from the sale proceeds at closing or resolved beforehand so the buyer gets clear title. If the liens add up to more than the house is worth, the creditors may need to agree to accept less.
Florida lets associations foreclose on assessment liens after required notices: an HOA must give 45 days' notice before recording a lien and 45 days' notice before foreclosing. Selling before a foreclosure sale can pay the association from the proceeds.
Often. Florida lets enforcement boards reduce fines, and cities such as St. Petersburg have a formal reduction process, usually after the violation is fixed. A buyer who plans to fix the violation can be part of that plan.
A certificate holder can apply for a tax deed two years after April 1 of the year the certificate was issued. You can redeem by paying the taxes, interest, and fees before a tax deed is issued; the county tax collector can give exact amounts.
No. Share what you know; the title search confirms the recorded items and payoffs, and the written offer shows how they are handled.
Get a cash offer for your house as is.
727-497-7766Start with the address and what is going on. There is no obligation to accept the offer.
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