Note: BCP Real Estate is not a law firm and its employees/owners are not acting as your attorneys. The information contained on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.
Inheriting property sounds like a windfall until the tax bill arrives. For a lot of families, the land comes with years of unpaid taxes already attached, plus penalties and interest that have quietly grown the total into something well out of reach. If you’re staring at a number you simply can’t pay, you’re not alone, and you’re not without options.
The first thing to understand is that doing nothing is the most expensive choice. Delinquent Texas property taxes keep adding penalties and interest for as long as they go unpaid, and an account left alone long enough can become the subject of a tax suit and, eventually, a forced sale. The bill rarely shrinks on its own. So the goal is to find the least painful way to deal with it before it grows further.
Sometimes there’s more room than people expect. Taxing authorities will occasionally discuss payment arrangements or installment options, and certain owners may qualify for exemptions or deferrals depending on their circumstances, which is worth asking about directly. An attorney or the tax office itself can tell you whether any of those apply. These paths can make keeping the property realistic when the only obstacle is timing.
But if the truth is that you can’t afford the land and don’t want to pour money into keeping it, that’s a completely valid position, and selling is a legitimate way out. You can sell your inherited share rather than draining your savings to cover taxes on property you never planned for. Selling your portion clears you of the back taxes tied to it and takes you out of any lawsuit, often putting cash in your pocket instead of pulling it out.
A couple of questions we hear a lot:
If I sell, am I still on the hook for the unpaid taxes? The taxes are tied to the property. When you sell your interest, that obligation goes with the share you’re selling rather than following you personally afterward, which is a big part of why selling brings relief.
What if the back taxes are worth more than the land? That happens, and it’s worth an honest look at the numbers before spending anything. A buyer who works with heir property can assess the situation, and even then you may have options that don’t cost you out of pocket.
If you’re looking to remove yourself from a lawsuit and get paid for your interest, no cost to you, call or text us at (469) 708-8003 for an offer today.
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