You will lose your Florida home for failure to pay applicable property tax. You may already be behind on semi-annual payments. The laws are kind of confusing to understand. Regardless if you have a mortgage or own your house free and clear, you could be facing a real issue that might lead to the loss of your residence. This guide is for information uses only, and it is not implied legal advice.
Can I lose my house because I am behind on property tax in Florida?
The answer is yes, but you do have ways of preventing it.
Understanding Florida Property Tax
In Florida, the state does not enforce laws on personal or commercial real estate. The county where you live elects a tax collector to handle collection of taxation dollars.
The property appraiser will tabulate the taxable value of your house. The assessment will be made based on the market value of your residence.
A bill is prepared by the elected collector that includes how the money is to be allocated in the county where you reside. The bill could include exemptions that may decrease the total amount of taxes payable.
Every county has a mill rate or millable rate. This rate is usually based on 1/1000 of the total property values. For instance, in Jacksonville, in Duval County, you might have a 20.00 mill rate.
A dollar amount is attached to each mill; therefore, this is the amount that you are responsible for paying for your Ad Valorem taxes.
What Happens When You Are Delinquent
If you do not pay your bill on time, the Florida tax collector has the legal authority to add interest to the amount left unpaid.
Once several payments are missed, a tax lien will be placed on the property. You will receive a notice in writing in the mail from the collector’s office. In the state of Florida, tax lien sales are visited by investors hoping to purchase houses on the cheap for pennies on the dollar.
The person who buys the lien now has the authority to earn interest on the unpaid balance. The lien holder has between two and seven years to apply for a tax deed sale of property if the lien has not been paid.
When you are delinquent on Florida property tax, and you are notified of a tax deed sale, you still have the right to pay the debt that you owe. Your right to redeem the property is based on state statutes.
Fighting Delinquent Florida Property Taxes
You might feel there is a mistake on your tax assessment. You might even quality for one or more exemptions. If you are already behind on several payments, your time is limited to keep ownership of your dwelling.
Once a tax lien has been sold or a FL tax deed is in hand, it complicates the process for you to keep your house.
It is always best to remain current with your payments if possible. If you qualify for an exemption, the county where you live can provide you with a list of applicable exemptions.
Selling Your FL House That is Behind On Taxes
You have the right to sell your home at any time prior to liens or deeds being processed. If you are unable to remain in your single-family or duplex property, you do have ways to sell.
CashBuyerTeam.com acquires real estate from homeowners that are in positions just like you. We are interested in buying your as-is condition property in Florida even it is behind on property tax.
The 67 counties where we buy houses in Florida for cash include:
Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.
