How to Prevent the County From Seizing Your Property for Unpaid Taxes in 2026

Property tax foreclosure can feel sudden, but in most cases it’s preventable—especially when you act early and communicate with your county. Nationally, approximately 98% of property owners successfully redeem their tax liens before foreclosure occurs, according to Amerisave. That same Amerisave data also notes that national statistics indicate approximately 98% of property owners redeem their tax liens before foreclosure—meaning most people find a way out, but only if they move quickly.

At the same time, the risk is rising for those who wait. The 2% of property owners that do not redeem their tax liens represents a 32% increase in three years, according to Amerisave. And the national foreclosure rate on properties with tax liens is around 4%, per Amerisave. Those numbers are a strong reminder: you don’t need perfection—you need a plan.

What Property Tax Foreclosure Means (and Why Timing Matters)

Every landowner is expected to pay property taxes to the county where the property sits. If you miss payments, the county can mark the taxes delinquent, add penalties and interest, and start a legal process that may eventually allow the county to take the property.

Foreclosure timelines and rules vary by state and county, but the overall pattern is consistent: the longer taxes remain unpaid, the fewer options you have—and the more expensive it gets. Legal costs can also stack up fast. Legal fees for tax lien foreclosure alone can run $3,000 to $10,000 or more, according to Amerisave.

How the Property Tax Delinquency Process Typically Works

Counties use different terms (delinquent, forfeiture, redemption period, tax sale), but most processes follow these steps:

1) Your taxes become delinquent

If you don’t pay property taxes by the due date, the county flags the account as delinquent and adds penalties and interest based on local rules. At this point, you usually have the most flexibility to pay, negotiate, or catch up.

2) Your property may be placed on a list for enforcement or tax sale

After additional time passes (often months to a year, depending on the jurisdiction), the county may publish your property on a list tied to a tax lien or tax sale process. In many places, you can still stop escalation by paying the back taxes plus penalties and interest.

3) The case moves toward forfeiture/foreclosure if you do nothing

If taxes remain unpaid long enough, the county can move closer to taking legal ownership or selling the property through a tax foreclosure action. Some areas require lump-sum payment at later stages, which is why acting early is so important.

Why Today’s Economic Pressure Makes Acting Early Even More Important

Many property owners aren’t falling behind because they’re careless—they’re getting squeezed by rising costs, payment shocks, and tighter cash flow. In Canada, for example, mortgage renewal pressure is expected to hit a lot of households soon: about 60% of renewing households in 2025 and 2026 will face higher mortgage payments, according to the Bank of Canada via Nesto. On average, 2026 mortgage renewals could result in payments approximately 20% higher than last year, according to the Bank of Canada via Nesto, and more than 1.15 million mortgages are set to renew in 2026, per Nesto.

Even with that pressure, delinquency can remain low at a national level—until it doesn’t for individual households. Canada’s national mortgage delinquency rate is 0.22% in Q2 2025, according to the CMHC Residential Mortgage Industry Report Fall 2025 Edition. The same report shows the delinquency rate in Ontario is 0.23% and in Toronto is 0.24% in Q2 2025, per the CMHC Residential Mortgage Industry Report Fall 2025 Edition.

The takeaway is practical: if your budget is tightening—because of mortgage renewals, inflation, or unexpected expenses—don’t wait for property tax penalties to snowball. Early action preserves the most choices.

How to Stop the County From Taking Your Land

Your best option depends on where you are in the process, but two strategies consistently work: (1) resolve the delinquency directly, or (2) sell strategically before the county takes control. Because approximately 98% of property owners successfully redeem their tax liens before foreclosure occurs, according to Amerisave, the odds are in your favor when you act promptly and follow through.

Option 1: Pay the Owed Taxes (and Confirm the Payoff Amount in Writing)

Start by contacting your county treasurer/tax collector and asking for:

• the total amount due (taxes, penalties, interest, and any fees)
• the deadline(s) that matter for stopping the next step
• whether the county offers a payment plan at your stage
• whether the county requires certified funds or lump-sum payment

If a payment plan is available, get the terms in writing and pay exactly on schedule. If you’re late again, the county may continue the foreclosure process.

Also ask about hardship programs or tax deferral if your county offers them. Some jurisdictions provide relief for qualified homeowners (often based on age, disability, income, or veteran status). Requirements can be strict, so confirm eligibility early.

Option 2: Sell the Property Before Foreclosure (When Cash Is Tight)

If you can’t realistically pay the accrued taxes and penalties, selling can be the cleanest way to protect yourself from a total loss. The key is speed: traditional listings can take months, and tax timelines don’t pause just because your property is on the market.

If you need to move quickly, you can consider a direct sale to a land-buying company. These buyers typically evaluate your parcel and can close faster than a conventional sale, but speed often comes with a lower offer than full retail market value. Still, selling proactively may be far better than losing the land outright and absorbing additional costs. Remember that legal fees for tax lien foreclosure alone can run $3,000 to $10,000 or more, according to Amerisave.

When you sell before foreclosure, you can often:

• pay the county what’s owed and stop the process
• avoid ongoing interest and penalties
• walk away with remaining proceeds (if any) instead of risking a total wipeout

Bottom Line: You Still Have Options—But You Need to Act

Most property owners find a way to stop tax foreclosure, but the window closes faster than people expect. Nationally, approximately 98% of property owners redeem their tax liens before foreclosure, according to Amerisave. That’s encouraging—but it doesn’t happen by accident. The 2% who don’t redeem has increased by 32% in three years, according to Amerisave, and the national foreclosure rate on properties with tax liens is around 4%, per Amerisave.

If you’re ready to sell your land to stop the tax foreclosure process, contact us immediately. With the right documents, you may be able to close in as fast as a couple of days.