Before selling your house, you want to make sure that there’s no lien on it. The process of removing a lien on a house can delay the sale of a home or even prevent the sale from happening. To avoid these challenges, you need to remove the lien from your property before putting it up for sale.
What is a property lien?
A property lien is when a charge on your home by a creditor because you have some unpaid debt. With a lien on your property, the creditor has a claim on a part of the profit you realize when you sell your home. There are diff ent types of liens, including:
- Mechanic’s liens.
- Tax liens, for unpaid property, state, or federal taxes.
- Judgment liens.
- HOA liens, which stem from unpaid HOA dues.
When you have a lien on your home, then there’s a record for it either in your county clerk or assessor’s office. This means you cannot avoid it unless you pay it off.
Can you sell a house with a lien on it?
Yes, it’s possible to sell a house with a lien on it, but the process is usually more challenging as opposed to when there’s no lien on it. To achieve this, you may need to hire a competent attorney or tutor company to help you through the legal and financial aspects of the process. Also, the presence of a lien on a property can discourage buyers and make them lose interest in your property.
Why do liens need to be removed before selling?
A lien on your house makes it difficult for you to sell the house. Initially, you might find a buyer but when they make a title search and discover that there’s a lien on the house, they may withdraw their offer. Except you’re lucky to find a buyer who will take on the lien and pay it, you may never be able to sell your home until you remove the lien.
How to get a lien off your house before selling
To remove a lien from your property, simply pay off the debt that incurred it. Even after repaying the debt, you need to contact the creditor so that they can remove the lien they put on your home. You need to ensure you contact the creditor otherwise the lien won’t be removed from your property. The creditor has to actively remove the lien he placed on your property because there’s no automatic removal of liens.
And in the case where you don’t have the total sum of the debt you owe, you can negotiate with your creditor and have the debt reduced. Also, you can involve title agents as they have more experience in handling cases like this. They can help with liens and help you negotiate with your creditors.
Lastly, if you think that a lien has been placed on your property without due cause, you have the right to contact an attorney to help you clear your home’s title and dispute the lien.
If you want to sell my house fast Birmingham without worrying about liens on your property, then you should sell to a cash home buyer. At Chase Pays Cash For Houses, we buy houses Birmingham Alabama at the best prices. We’re your best option if you want to sell my house fast Alabama.