Inherited a House with Unpaid Taxes? Here's What to Do

05/13/2026
Nancy Cope
Your aunt passed away six months ago. You inherited her house in Florida. You haven't had time to deal with it—you live out of state, or you're grieving, or you just figured you'd get to it eventually.
Then the letter arrived. The property has years of unpaid taxes and is scheduled for a tax deed sale.
Now what?
This is one of the most common situations I see. Here's what you need to know.
First: Understand What You Inherited
When someone dies owning Florida real estate, the property doesn't automatically transfer to heirs. It gets stuck in probate or passes through a trust. Meanwhile, property taxes keep coming due. If nobody pays them, the county doesn't care that the owner died—they'll sell the property to recover the taxes.
Check these things immediately:
  • Is the property still in the deceased's name?
  • Has probate been opened?
  • Are you the legal personal representative (executor) or a beneficiary?
  • How many years of taxes are unpaid?
If probate hasn't been opened, you may not legally have the authority to sell the property yet. This is a problem—but not an unsolvable one.

Second: Get Legal Authority Fast

If you're the intended heir but probate isn't complete, you need to:
  1. Hire a Florida probate attorney
  2. Petition the court to be appointed personal representative
  3. Get "letters of administration" giving you authority to act
This takes time—usually 4-6 weeks minimum. If the tax deed sale is sooner than that, you have a problem.
Here's the workaround: I can sometimes structure the purchase where the contract is signed by all known heirs, with the closing contingent on probate completion. Or if there's a surviving spouse or co-owner on the deed, they may have authority to sell immediately.
Call me early. I work with probate attorneys regularly and can connect you with one who understands the urgency.

Third: Figure Out If There's Equity

This is the math that matters:
Property Value (as-is, no repairs)
Minus: Outstanding taxes + interest + penalties
Minus: Mortgages or other liens
Minus: Probate costs and attorney fees
Minus: My purchase costs
Equals: Your net proceeds
If the number is positive, selling makes sense. If it's negative—meaning the property is "underwater"—you may be better off letting it go to auction or negotiating a deed in lieu.
I give you this math honestly. If there's no equity, I'll tell you. I'm not going to waste your time or mine.

Fourth: The Out-of-State Problem

Most inherited properties I deal with involve heirs who live in another state. You can't just fly down to Florida every week to deal with this.
Here's how I handle it:
  • I visit the property, take photos, and assess condition
  • I communicate with you by phone, email, and video call
  • We use a Florida title company that handles remote closings
  • You sign documents via overnight mail or online notarization
  • Your proceeds are wired to your bank account
You may never need to set foot in Florida.

Fifth: What's Inside the House?

Inherited houses are often full of decades of belongings. You need to decide:
  • Do you want to clear it out yourself?
  • Do you want to hire an estate sale company?
  • Do you want me to handle it?
If you sell to me, I can take the property with contents included. You take what you want, leave what you don't, and I deal with the rest. This saves you thousands in cleanout costs and weeks of work.

Sixth: The Emotional Side

I get it. This isn't just a property. It's your aunt's home. Full of memories. Maybe you spent summers there as a kid. Maybe you promised her you'd never sell it.
But here's the reality: the county doesn't care about memories. They care about taxes. And if those taxes aren't paid, the house will be sold at auction to a stranger who will likely tear it down or flip it for profit.
Selling to me means:
  • You control who gets the house
  • You get cash to honor your aunt's memory however you choose
  • You avoid the public humiliation of a courthouse auction
  • You have time to sort through belongings with dignity

A Real Example

Last year, a woman in Ohio called me about her father's house in Polk County. He'd died two years earlier. She thought she'd kept up with taxes, but she'd missed the last two years. The tax deed sale was 45 days out.
We moved fast:
  • I connected her with a probate attorney who expedited the process
  • I made a cash offer based on the property's as-is condition
  • She flew down for one weekend, took family photos and heirlooms
  • We closed 10 days before the auction
  • She walked away with $47,000 in equity she thought she'd lost

What You Should Do Right Now

  1. Find the tax deed sale notice and write down the sale date
  2. Gather the death certificate and any estate documents
  3. Call me with the property address and your situation
  4. Don't wait—probate takes time, and time is what you don't have
Inherited properties with tax problems are fixable. But only if you act.
— Nancy Cope, FL Tax Advocates