Behind on property taxes in Chicago? You have options.
Unpaid taxes don’t take your house overnight, but the cost grows every month. We buy houses with back taxes or sold taxes across Cook County and pay them off at closing.
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No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
How unpaid property taxes work in Cook County
Cook County bills property taxes a year behind, in two installments. When a payment is missed, state law normally adds interest of 1.5% a month. Your ownership doesn’t change right away. The debt just gets bigger, and if it stays unpaid long enough, the taxes go to the tax sale.
People fall behind for ordinary reasons, like a job loss, medical bills, a death in the family or a jump in the bill. The earlier you act, the more choices you have and the less interest you pay.
The tax sale doesn’t sell your house. It sells the unpaid taxes. Here is the usual path.
- Taxes go delinquent
Late interest starts. You can look up what’s owed by address or PIN on the Cook County Treasurer’s website, which also has a Payment Plan Calculator and accepts partial payments.
- The Annual Tax Sale
Unpaid taxes are offered to tax buyers, who pay them and get a lien on the property. The Treasurer lists the next sale for December 15, 2026, for delinquent Tax Year 2023 taxes. Paying in full before the sale keeps your taxes off it.
- The redemption period
You still own the house. To clear the lien, you redeem by paying the sold taxes plus interest and fees through the Cook County Clerk. For most homes the deadline is typically about 2½ years after the sale. Your redemption bill shows your exact date, and the amount grows the longer you wait.
- A tax deed
If the taxes aren’t redeemed by the deadline, the tax buyer can go to court and ask for a tax deed, which can transfer ownership of the property.
The rules are changing. In July 2026, Illinois enacted Public Act 104-0553. It requires that equity above what’s owed go back to the owner when a property is lost for taxes, adds notice requirements, and phases out private tax buying in Cook County after six more sales, with the last expected in 2030. Ask the Treasurer’s office how it applies to your property.
In DuPage, Will, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties, each county treasurer runs its own annual tax sale and the county clerk handles redemptions. Call them for your deadlines.
Ways out, compared
The Treasurer accepts partial payments, and its Payment Plan Calculator lays out a monthly or twice-monthly schedule. Paying everything that’s due before the tax sale keeps your taxes from being sold.
If you were missing a homeowner or senior exemption, a Certificate of Error from the Assessor can correct up to three years of bills. The Treasurer says properties missing exemptions may be eligible for removal from the tax sale.
If your taxes were already sold, get an Estimate of Redemption from the Clerk and pay it before your deadline, with savings, a refinance or help from family.
If you can’t catch up, selling pays the back taxes or redemption out of the sale at closing, and you keep the rest of your equity. We pay normal closing costs and all transfer taxes.
How back taxes get paid when you sell
You don’t need to bring the taxes current before you sell. The title company handles it.
- Tax search. The title company checks the PIN for current taxes, delinquent taxes and any sold taxes.
- Redemption payoff. If taxes were sold, it gets an Estimate of Redemption from the Clerk and pays it from the sale, so the tax buyer’s lien is cleared.
- Current-year credit. Because taxes are billed a year behind, the buyer gets a credit for the time you owned the house this year. It comes out of the proceeds, not your pocket.
- Other payoffs. Your mortgage, any other liens and, in Chicago, the final water bill needed for the city’s Full Payment Certificate are paid the same way.
- Our costs. When you sell to us, we pay normal closing costs and all transfer taxes, including the state, county and City of Chicago taxes.
You get a written breakdown before closing showing the price, each payoff and what you walk away with.
Annual tax sale vs. scavenger sale
Cook County has two kinds of tax sales, and it helps to know which one you’re facing.
- Annual Tax Sale. Offers unpaid taxes from the most recent delinquent tax year, plus interest and penalties. The Treasurer expects to hold the next one in December 2026, after a February 2026 law (Public Act 104-0460) allowed it to be delayed.
- Scavenger Sale. Offers taxes on properties with three or more delinquent tax years, to the highest bidder. Since a 2023 law, it is held only when the Cook County Board directs it.
- Redemption after a scavenger sale. The Treasurer says the deadline for residential property is typically 2½ years after the sale, and typically six months for commercial property and vacant lots.
After either sale, the Treasurer mails a notice, and redemption is paid at the Clerk’s office. Don’t wait for the last month. Redemption amounts can end up much higher than the original taxes.
Three steps. You pick the closing date.
- Tell us about the house
Fill out the form or call (773) 825-9855. A few quick questions, no pressure.
- Get a fair cash offer in 24 hours
We look at the house with you and show you how we got the number. No obligation.
- Close on your date
As soon as 2–3 weeks, or take more time. We close at a local title company and pay your closing costs.
Questions sellers ask
Will I lose my house at the Cook County tax sale?
Not at the sale itself. The sale is of your unpaid taxes, and you keep ownership during the redemption period. The risk comes later, if the taxes aren’t redeemed and the tax buyer gets a tax deed.
How do I find out if my taxes were sold?
Search your PIN on the Cook County Treasurer’s website or the Clerk’s delinquent property tax search. You can also call the Clerk’s office at (312) 603-5645.
Can I sell my house if the taxes were already sold?
Yes. The title company gets an Estimate of Redemption from the Clerk and pays it out of the sale, which clears the tax buyer’s lien before the deed passes.
Does Cook County offer a payment plan for back taxes?
The Treasurer’s website has a Payment Plan Calculator that builds a schedule of monthly or twice-monthly payments, and partial payments are accepted. Only paying in full before the sale keeps the taxes from being sold.
What is a Certificate of Error?
It’s an application to the Cook County Assessor to correct a bill, often for a missed homeowner or senior exemption. The Assessor allows up to three years of refunds, and a corrected bill can lower what you owe.
What is the scavenger sale?
It’s a separate Cook County sale of taxes on properties that are three or more years delinquent. Since 2023 it is held only when the County Board directs it.
How do back taxes affect your offer?
We price the house on its value and condition. The taxes are then paid from that price at closing, so you see the price, the tax payoff and your net in writing before you agree.
Should I list with an agent instead?
If the house is in good shape and your deadline isn’t close, listing may bring a higher price, and the taxes get paid at closing the same way. A cash sale fits better when time is short or the house needs work.