Home Options MA

Your situation

Behind on property taxes or have a tax lien? Here’s how to sell the house in Massachusetts.

See what the taxes would cost at closing, how the redemption deadline works, and what a cash offer or a listing would leave you. Free, no obligation.

We are not a real estate broker or agent. We connect you with independent local buyers and agents who may pay us a fee. No obligation.

Your likely path (our general read, not advice)

  1. Get the exact amount and any deadline
  2. Compare a cash offer and a listing
  3. Pay the taxes from the proceeds at closing
Line drawing of a center-hall colonial house with shutters

First thing to know

In most cases back taxes are paid from the sale proceeds at closing. Start by asking your tax collector for the exact amount and any dates. We never ask for money upfront or for your deed.

We cannot stop a tax taking or a Land Court case and we do not give legal advice. Call your town tax collector now for the exact amount and dates, and talk to a real estate attorney if you have received a court notice.

Your options

Three common ways to move forward.

List with a local agentOften the best fit

2 to 4 months

typical, prep to closing

Usually the highest price if you have equity and a few months before any Land Court case.

Sell for cash, as-is

2 to 4 weeks

typical, offer to close

Can make sense when a deadline is close.

Cleanout first

By the job

written quote, before either route

Only if the house needs emptying before a sale.

JUNKRUN is owned by the same people as Home Options MA. If you choose a cleanout, we may earn money from it. No obligation to use it. See JUNKRUN estate cleanout

Cash offer vs listing, side by side.

Type your address and pick the town. We start from the typical house there and use the same math as the calculator. Change the price to your own guess.

Example: the typical single-family house in Melrose. Enter your address to see yours.

List with an agent

Sale price $960,000

  • Agent fee −$50,400
  • Repairs and prep −$12,000
  • Closing and carrying −$14,878

You keep ~$883,000

2 to 4 months

Sell for cash, as-is

Cash offer $748,800

  • Cash buyer's discount −$211,200
  • No agent fee, no repairs, no staging
  • Closing −$3,415

You keep ~$745,000

2 to 4 weeks

Listing keeps about $138,000 more on paper, and takes about 2 months longer. Cash is faster and skips the repairs.

Estimate only, not an offer. Starting price: the typical single-family home in Melrose (August 2026, Zillow Group Data). Assumes a 78% cash offer, 5.25% commission, $12,000 prep, 3 months of carrying costs at $3,500, before any mortgage payoff. Your house is not the typical house. Sources

A typical timeline

How long it usually takes.

Sell for cashabout 2 to 4 weeks

Get the payoff and check your dates, then offer, close.

List with an agentabout 9 to 17 weeks

Get the payoff and check your dates, then prep, listing and showings, contract to close, buffer.

Get the payoff and check your dates: Ask the tax collector for amounts and deadlines in writing.

Estimates, not promises. A cleanout adds time before either route. See the honest math and sources.

Questions

Common questions.

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Can I sell a house with unpaid property taxes in Massachusetts?

Yes, in most cases. The taxes, interest and charges owed are paid from the sale proceeds at closing, using the amount on a municipal lien certificate. If there is not enough equity to cover everything, talk to an attorney before you list. See our guide to the municipal lien certificate and our guide to liens and judgments.

What interest do I pay on back property taxes?

Under c.59 s.57, an overdue tax bill bears interest at 14% a year from the due date. Once a town has taken the land, c.60 s.62 sets 8% on the original amount for redeeming it, plus lawful charges added to the tax title account. We could not confirm what your town has charged, so ask the collector for a payoff figure.

How long do I have before I lose the house?

It depends. The town generally cannot file a Land Court case until 12 months after the taking (c.60 s.65), with narrow exceptions such as an abandoned building or the owner's written consent. Even after a case is filed, you can redeem before the court enters judgment. Notices have dates on them, so read them carefully and talk to an attorney.

Can I get a payment plan?

Some cities and towns have bylaws that allow payment agreements, and some require a down payment of at least 10%. Some offer tax work-off programs for seniors and veterans. Only your tax collector can tell you what your town offers.

Can seniors defer property taxes?

Yes, under c.59 s.5 (clause 41A). You generally must be 65 or older, have owned and lived in a Massachusetts home for at least 5 years, and have income under $20,000, or a higher local limit if your town adopted one. Interest is 8%, or lower if your town chose a lower rate. The deferred amount and interest come due when the home is sold or on death. Ask the assessors about any other exemptions; we did not review each one.

What if the lien is from the IRS?

A federal tax lien attaches to your property. To sell, you can ask the IRS for a certificate of discharge using Form 14135, as explained in IRS Publication 783. Submit it at least 45 days before the closing date. Your attorney, a title company or a tax professional can help. See the net proceeds calculator for a first look at what you would keep.

Full details

The longer version.

The short answer

If you owe back property taxes in Massachusetts, you can usually still sell. The unpaid taxes, interest and charges are paid from your sale proceeds at closing, so you do not need cash up front. The tax collector gives a municipal lien certificate that shows what is owed. The clock matters. After a tax taking, the town can ask the Land Court to cut off your right to pay and keep the house. That case generally cannot start until 12 months after the taking, and you can still pay up until the court enters judgment. The earlier you act, the more choices you have.

How each way fits, in full

List with a local agent. Usually the highest price if you have equity and a few months before any Land Court case. The taxes come out of the proceeds. A lien alone does not stop a listing, but a court case or messy title can slow the closing. Ask your agent and closing attorney for the timeline.

Sell for cash, as-is. Can make sense when a deadline is close. An investor can pay the taxes at closing and close fast. Expect a lower price than a listing. Check that the offer covers all taxes, interest and charges, and that the closing date works with the dates on your notices.

Cleanout first. Only if the house needs emptying before a sale. It is optional. JUNKRUN is a related business owned by the same people as Home Options MA, and we may earn money if you use it. Other cleanout companies exist.

JUNKRUN is owned by the same people as Home Options MA. If you choose a cleanout, we may earn money from it. No obligation to use it. See JUNKRUN estate cleanout

Steps that usually help

  1. Call the tax collector at town or city hall. Ask what is owed, for which years, whether any bill has gone to a tax taking or tax title, and whether a payment plan is possible. Ask for the answers in writing.
  2. Ask for a municipal lien certificate. By law the collector must issue it within 10 days (towns over 5,000 people) or 20 days (smaller towns), excluding weekends and holidays. The fee in the statute is $25.
  3. Read every notice. Before a taking, the law requires a demand and 14 days' notice. If you get a Land Court complaint, you have to file an answer to offer to redeem. Talk to an attorney quickly.
  4. Check for other liens: mortgages, water and sewer, state or IRS tax liens and court judgments. Ask each lender for a payoff letter.
  5. Ask the assessors and tax collector about relief: payment agreements, tax work-off programs, and the senior tax deferral for homeowners 65 and older.
  6. Compare a cash offer with a listing, counting taxes, interest and fees. Give the buyer's closing attorney the lien certificate.
  7. If the lien is from the IRS, ask about a certificate of discharge. Apply at least 45 days before the closing date.

Watch out for

  • Do not ignore notices. After a Land Court judgment of foreclosure, the town or another owner holds title. You may be able to claim any excess equity, but it is a claims process set by statute and it can be slow (c.60 s.64).
  • A private company may hold your tax title or tax receivable. You can still redeem by paying what is owed, and the amount can include added costs and legal fees.
  • Be careful with anyone who offers to pay your taxes in return for your deed, or who asks you to sign a deed before a lawyer has read it.
  • A senior tax deferral is not forgiveness. The deferred taxes and 8% interest must be paid when the home is sold.
  • Interest differs by stage. Overdue tax bills bear 14% a year (c.59 s.57). For land already taken, the redemption rate in c.60 s.62 is 8%. Ask the collector for a payoff figure for your parcel rather than adding it up yourself.

Official sources

This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. See the honest cash vs listing math.

Useful next

Selling? Add drone photos

Show the whole property.

Aerial photos show the lot, the yard, the roofline and the neighborhood in a way street photos cannot. Many sellers add them to a listing, and they are a short, inexpensive shoot (typically $250 to $900).

Drone photos for your listing All drone photography

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