Last reviewed: 2026-05-10 - Orleans County, LA

Sell Your New Orleans, Louisiana House With Back Taxes — We Pay Liens at Closing

Back property taxes in New Orleans? Louisiana can sell your home for unpaid taxes after 36 months of delinquency. We buy houses with tax liens — pay the taxes at closing, give you the difference in cash, save your credit.

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BuyHousesInCash buys homes with back taxes and tax liens in New Orleans, Louisiana. We pay the delinquent taxes from closing proceeds. Sellers walk away with cash and no tax burden, even if a tax sale is scheduled.
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If you owe back taxes on your New Orleans house, BuyHousesInCash can buy it and pay the tax lien at closing. You don't pay anything out of pocket, and you can stop a scheduled tax sale.

Falling behind on property taxes in New Orleans, Louisiana can spiral fast. Louisiana counties begin tax sale proceedings after a fixed period of property tax delinquency. BuyHousesInCash buys homes with tax liens, tax delinquency, and even properties scheduled for tax sale. We pay the back taxes from sale proceeds at closing, so you never write a check. You walk away free of the tax burden with cash in hand.

Our New Orleans Local Buying Approach

Redemption periods after Louisiana tax sales range from immediate (no redemption) to 3-5 years depending on jurisdiction. New Orleans homeowners in Orleans County should verify their specific timeline before assuming any cushion. Selling before the auction guarantees no redemption issues arise.

Senior property tax exemptions in Louisiana can reduce or freeze the tax basis for qualifying homeowners over 65 in Orleans County, but enrollment must happen before the delinquency, not after. New Orleans seniors who missed enrollment cannot retroactively apply it to wipe out arrears. Selling can be the better outcome when retroactive relief isn't available.

Tax liens in Louisiana are mostly senior to mortgage liens, which means a tax sale can extinguish the mortgage entirely. New Orleans homeowners who fall behind on property taxes while current on their mortgage occasionally discover their lender paid the taxes and added them to the loan balance — at a punitive rate. Either path destroys equity; selling clears both at closing.

Senior/disability tax-deferral programs in Louisiana occasionally help New Orleans elderly homeowners avoid tax-sale escalation. Orleans County administrators determine eligibility. Programs defer rather than forgive; eventual collection still occurs at sale or death. Selling proactively avoids deferral compounding.

The New Orleans, LA Real Estate Environment

Tax delinquency volume in Orleans County, LA reflects the broader Louisiana economic environment. A New Orleans metro of 364,136 produces a steady flow of 36-month tax-delinquency-eligible properties. Tax sales clear inventory; BuyHousesInCash acquisitions divert properties before that step.

Free New Orleans Cash Offer

No obligation. We close at a Orleans County title company.

Call (555) 555-CASH

FAQs - Tax Delinquent / Tax Lien in New Orleans, LA

How does Louisiana tax sale work, and how long do I have?

Louisiana can typically begin tax sale proceedings after 36 months of delinquency. The county or municipality issues a tax certificate to investors, and after a redemption period, the property can be sold at auction. BuyHousesInCash can typically close before tax sale in New Orleans as long as you contact us before the auction date is finalized.

Will I have to pay the back taxes out of pocket to sell my New Orleans house?

No. BuyHousesInCash pays all delinquent property taxes, penalties, and interest from the sale proceeds at closing. The title company in Louisiana disburses funds to the county tax collector, clears the lien, and the remaining cash goes to you. You write zero checks. This is one of the biggest reasons homeowners with New Orleans tax delinquency choose us.

What if my New Orleans property already has a tax lien certificate sold?

Even after a tax certificate is sold to an investor, Louisiana provides a redemption period during which you can pay off the certificate plus interest and reclaim your property. BuyHousesInCash can buy your home and redeem the certificate at closing during this window. Don't wait until the redemption period expires — call us as soon as possible.

Can I sell my New Orleans home if I'm behind on income taxes too (IRS lien)?

Yes. Federal IRS tax liens against you personally do attach to New Orleans real estate. The IRS has procedures (Form 14135) to discharge a property from the lien at closing in exchange for paying the lien amount or a portion. BuyHousesInCash works with title companies experienced in IRS lien discharges. Louisiana state tax liens follow similar processes.

How much does my New Orleans, Louisiana property need to be worth to make this work?

The math has to work — sale proceeds need to cover the back taxes plus our offer price. If you have $50,000 in back taxes on a $200,000 New Orleans home, we have plenty of room. If back taxes are $180,000 on a $200,000 home, the offer becomes minimal. We'll run the numbers transparently and tell you what you'd net before any commitment.

What if I'm behind on taxes AND mortgage in New Orleans?

Common scenario. Both get paid off at closing from sale proceeds. The title company disburses to the lender (mortgage payoff) and the Louisiana tax collector (delinquent taxes), then any remaining equity goes to you. We handle multi-creditor closings in New Orleans regularly — it adds about 3-5 days to closing time but isn't a deal-breaker.

Can the county or city stop my New Orleans tax sale once I have a buyer?

Most Louisiana counties will postpone or cancel a scheduled tax sale once they receive proof of a pending sale to a buyer who will pay off the delinquent taxes. BuyHousesInCash' title company submits the contract and proof of funds directly to the New Orleans tax office to halt the sale. We've stopped tax auctions with as little as 5 days notice.

Will selling for back taxes hurt my credit?

Selling to BuyHousesInCash doesn't directly impact credit. The negative items — late mortgage payments, judgments, the tax lien itself — already affect your credit. Selling clears those liens, which over time helps your credit recover. Compare to a tax sale: losing the home plus continued lien on credit report. The voluntary sale is almost always the better credit outcome.

New Orleans Fast-Sale Process Questions

Can I sell my New Orleans house if it's already in tax-sale process?

Often yes. Louisiana provides redemption windows after most tax sales. Cash buyers can close within these windows in Orleans County, redeeming the tax lien and transferring clear title.

How does selling a house with back taxes work in Louisiana?

Step 1: get a cash offer. Step 2: title company orders the Orleans County tax payoff. Step 3: sign purchase agreement. Step 4: close at title office. Step 5: proceeds pay back taxes, mortgage (if any), and the seller's net — all from one settlement statement.

Who buys houses with back taxes in New Orleans, LA?

Cash home buyers in New Orleans and Orleans County purchase properties with property tax delinquency. They pay off the Louisiana tax collector at closing as part of the standard title work, releasing all liens and transferring the property clear.

More New Orleans-Specific Questions

Will BuyHousesInCash pay off my back taxes when buying my New Orleans home?

Yes. Property taxes owed to Orleans County are paid in full at closing from sale proceeds. The Louisiana tax collector issues a release; the title transfers free and clear.

Will tax-lien-buyer claims on my New Orleans property complicate the sale?

Sometimes. We resolve them at closing. BuyHousesInCash title in Orleans County identifies lien buyers and pays them their statutory return, freeing the property to transfer.

What to Expect in New Orleans

Heirs inherit property with tax delinquency in New Orleans more often than families realize. The deceased's last few years often included missed payments, accumulated penalties, and tax sale notices that family members weren't tracking. Orleans County tax assessor records show that probate-stage tax delinquencies are roughly 20% of all annual tax-sale cases.

Most Orleans County tax sales use a certificate-auction process where investors bid on the right to collect the delinquency plus interest. The homeowner retains a redemption window (often 1-3 years in Louisiana) during which they can pay off the certificate plus accumulated interest and reclaim clean title. BuyHousesInCash regularly closes during this redemption window, paying the certificate as part of the closing.

BuyHousesInCash handles tax-delinquent New Orleans properties without requiring the seller to bring money to closing. The math just needs sale proceeds to exceed the tax debt, mortgage payoff, and our offer. When equity is too thin to cover all three, we work with lenders on short sale and with the county on tax-arrear negotiations.

Tax-sale investor purchases in Orleans County create a parallel ownership claim until redemption expires. The New Orleans homeowner may still occupy but the investor's claim grows with statutory interest (often 12-18% annually). The math becomes punitive quickly.