Sell Your House With Liens or Back Taxes in Milwaukee

If you owe back property taxes, still have a mortgage, or a contractor or creditor has placed a lien on your Milwaukee-area home, selling can feel impossible. It's not — but the liens do have to be dealt with.

In general terms, a lien is a legal claim against the property. Before a buyer can receive clear title, those claims normally have to be paid off. That usually happens at closing: the sale proceeds go first to the lienholders, and you receive whatever is left.

Common examples we see include delinquent property taxes owed to the county, an existing mortgage or home equity loan, a contractor or mechanic's lien from unpaid work, and judgment liens from lawsuits. Each one is handled through the same closing process.

You don't have to pay the back taxes or liens before you sell. We pay them at closing out of the sale proceeds, so there's no money you need to come up with upfront.

Every closing goes through a licensed title company. The title company runs the title search, finds the recorded liens, gets exact payoff amounts from each lienholder, and pays them directly at closing. You see every number on the settlement statement before you sign.

This is the same process used for homes with open city orders or code violations, and it comes up often with probate sales and inherited houses where bills have piled up.

• Cash offer within 24 hours of our walkthrough.
• We cover 100% of closing costs — no commissions or fees.
• Buy as-is: no repairs or cleaning, and cleanout is free — leave anything behind.
• No inspection or financing contingencies.
• You pick the closing date — we can close in as little as 7–14 days, or up to 60 days if you need more time.
• Proof of funds comes with the written offer.
• We are not a wholesaler — we buy with our own funds.
• CPA-led: owner Offer Saltoon is a CPA with 10+ years of experience.

You don't need a full file of paperwork to start. If you have them, it helps to gather:

• Any lien or tax notices you've received.
• Your most recent mortgage statement.
• Contact information for the lienholder, if you know it.

It's completely fine if you don't have everything. The title company's search will find recorded liens, and we'll walk through what turns up together.

This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Lien priority, judgments and tax consequences can be complicated, and every situation is different. For complex lien or judgment questions, talk to a Wisconsin attorney before making decisions.