We Buy Ann Arbor Tax Lien Properties Fast
Behind on Ann Arbor property taxes? You have options.
If you are behind on Ann Arbor property taxes and the Washtenaw County Treasurer letters are stacking up, you are not stuck. Offer Now Michigan buys tax-delinquent homes in Ann Arbor for cash, pays the back taxes at closing, and can move on a timeline that keeps you ahead of the foreclosure clock. We work throughout 48103, 48104, 48105, and 48108, and we have looked at properties from Burns Park to the Old Fourth Ward to Northside to Ann Arbor Hills.
How the Michigan tax foreclosure clock works
Michigan property tax foreclosure runs on a three-year clock that surprises a lot of people. The year you fall behind, the local treasurer carries the unpaid taxes. On March 1 of the following year, the bill moves from the City of Ann Arbor Treasurer to the Washtenaw County Treasurer, with added fees and interest. Sometime after that, the property is forfeited (a paperwork step, not a loss of ownership). Foreclosure judgment comes the spring after that — about two years from the original missed payment, sometimes a little more.
The hard rule: there is no redemption period after the foreclosure judgment is entered. Once foreclosed, the county takes title and sells the property at the annual tax sale. This is very different from mortgage foreclosure, which gives owner-occupied homes under three acres a six-month redemption window (MCL 600.3240). With tax foreclosure, you have to act before the judgment.
There is one piece of good news Michigan owners should know about. After the Michigan Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in *Rafaeli v. Oakland County* (now codified at MCL 211.78t), county treasurers must return any surplus from a tax sale to the former owner. So if the county sells a $400,000 Ann Arbor house for $300,000 and the back taxes were $25,000, the surplus is owed back to you — but only if you follow the procedure and file the claim on time. That is real money in Ann Arbor where home values are high. Even so, the process to recover it is paperwork-heavy and you typically net less than you would by selling the house yourself before foreclosure. (Talk to a Michigan attorney if you have already been foreclosed.)
Washtenaw County also offers the PAYS program (Pay As You Stay) which can waive interest and fees for income-eligible homeowners with a Poverty Tax Exemption from the City of Ann Arbor. If you might qualify, it is worth applying. The Washtenaw County Treasurer’s office can point you to the application; we can talk you through it on the phone as well.
How we help
When you call 810-425-5961, we ask the address and what you know about the delinquency — how many years, roughly how much, and whether there is also a mortgage in arrears. We pull the tax record from the City of Ann Arbor Treasurer and the Washtenaw County Treasurer, confirm where you are on the timeline, and look at recent comparable sales in your ZIP. We send a written cash offer within 24 to 72 hours.
At closing, the title company pays off the back taxes from the proceeds. Whatever is left after taxes, recording fees, and any mortgage payoff comes to you. The transaction is straightforward, the county gets paid, and your name comes off the parcel. We close at a Washtenaw County title company. We can do it in as little as seven to fourteen days when the calendar is tight, which matters in March when the clock accelerates.
We want to be honest about the numbers. Ann Arbor home values are high — the median is around $485,000 — and our offers typically land at 70 to 85 percent of likely retail value, which means real money in your pocket even after the back taxes are paid. On a $485,000 house with $20,000 in back taxes and no mortgage, a mid-range offer of around $375,000 would still send roughly $355,000 to you at closing. That is not the same as selling at full retail through an MLS listing, but it is dramatically better than losing the house to tax foreclosure and trying to recover the surplus afterward.
What we buy in Ann Arbor
We buy tax-delinquent single-family houses, condos, duplexes, and small multifamily across Ann Arbor in 48103, 48104, 48105, and 48108, and into the adjacent Pittsfield and Scio townships. We have looked at properties in Burns Park, Old West Side, Water Hill, Kerrytown, Old Fourth Ward, Northside, Ann Arbor Hills, and along Plymouth Road. We buy in any condition. We buy with active code issues. We buy when there is also a mortgage in arrears — we coordinate payoff at closing.
FAQ
How do I know which stage of foreclosure I am at?
Call the Washtenaw County Treasurer or look up your parcel on the county website. If the bill is in the county’s hands and you are seeing notices about forfeiture or foreclosure, the clock is well underway. We can also help interpret the notices.
Will you still buy if I also owe back mortgage payments?
Yes. The title company calculates everything at closing — mortgage payoff, back taxes, our purchase price — and the remainder goes to you.
I heard about the *Rafaeli* surplus rule. Should I just let the county take the house and claim the surplus?
Usually no. Recovering the surplus is paperwork-heavy and you typically net far less than selling proactively, because the county sells at a discount and the surplus claim process is rigid. Talk to an attorney for your specific situation, but in most cases selling before judgment is the better path.
Do I qualify for PAYS or a Poverty Tax Exemption?
It depends on household income and the assessor’s review. The City of Ann Arbor handles the PTE; the County handles PAYS once the PTE is in place. If you may qualify, apply — we will not push you to sell when a tax-relief program could keep you in the home.
How fast can you close before a foreclosure judgment?
We have closed in as little as seven days when title was clean. Two to three weeks is more typical. If you are within a month of a judgment date, call immediately so we can move.
Get a Cash Offer on Your Ann Arbor Home Today
Ready to talk numbers? Get a free, no-obligation cash offer on your Ann Arbor property in 24–48 hours. Start your free Ann Arbor cash offer here, or call us directly at 810-425-5961.
Related Michigan Resources
Some additional reading that may help with your situation:
Can I Sell My Michigan Home If I Owe Back Property Taxes?
Michigan Pay As You Stay (PAYS) Program: Eligibility and Application
Michigan Tax Foreclosure Surplus Funds: How to Claim Your Money After Auction
Have a Property in Another Michigan City?
We buy houses for cash across the entire state of Michigan. If your property is not in Ann Arbor, we still want to make you an offer. Here are some nearby cities we work in:
Ypsilanti · Saline · Chelsea · Dexter · Canton
We also cover Michigan’s three largest cities — Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint — plus more than 100 other communities. See our full statewide coverage.
Call before the deadline
If you are behind on Ann Arbor property taxes, call 810-425-5961. We will give you an honest read on where you are on the timeline, what your options are (including options that do not involve selling to us), and a written cash offer if a sale is the right move.