Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways Title issues don't have to kill your sale: Even with liens, judgments, and other problems, you can still sell your San Antonio house — but you need the right buyer who handles these issues professionally. Traditional sales won't work: Realtors and conventional buyers can't close on properties with unresolved liens, so listing your house will likely result in multiple failed contracts and wasted time. San Antonio's strong market helps: With median home prices up 8.2% to $285,000, there's often enough equity in properties to cover lien resolution costs and still leave money for homeowners. Cash buyers offer the fastest solution: Companies like HOMESELL USA can close in weeks, handle all lien resolution at closing, and provide certainty instead of months of legal battles and uncertainty.

San Antonio Title Issues: How to Sell Your House When Liens and Judgments Are Holding You Back

Look, I've been buying houses in San Antonio for over a decade, and I can tell you this: title issues are like weeds in South Texas — they pop up everywhere and they're harder to get rid of than you think. Just last week, I had a homeowner call me from the West Side who discovered her late husband had $47,000 in IRS liens she never knew about. She thought she'd never be able to sell.

Here's the deal — San Antonio's housing market is red-hot right now. The median home price hit $285,000 in early 2026, up 8.2% from last year. New construction is booming from Stone Oak to Southtown, and cash buyers are everywhere. But none of that matters if your title is tangled up with liens, judgments, or other legal problems.

The good news? You can still sell your house, even with serious title issues. I've helped thousands of San Antonio homeowners navigate these exact situations at HOMESELL USA, and I'm going to walk you through everything you need to know.

The Most Common Title Issues I See in San Antonio

After buying distressed properties across Bexar County for years, here are the title problems that come up most often:

Property Tax Liens

Texas doesn't mess around with property taxes. Miss payments for too long, and Bexar County will slap a lien on your property faster than you can say "Remember the Alamo." With San Antonio's rapid growth pushing property values up, I'm seeing more homeowners who got behind during COVID and now owe way more than they expected.

IRS and State Tax Liens

Federal tax liens are brutal because they attach to everything you own, including your house. Texas doesn't have state income tax, but if you moved here from somewhere that does and still owe back taxes, those liens follow you. I had a client who moved from California to Alamo Heights and discovered a $35,000 state tax lien was still attached to her property.

HOA Liens

San Antonio has hundreds of HOAs, from the fancy ones in The Dominion to smaller neighborhood associations on the East Side. HOA liens can pile up fast — I've seen $20,000 in fees and legal costs from what started as a $500 violation for an unapproved fence color.

Mechanics Liens

With all the renovation activity in hot neighborhoods like Southtown and the Pearl area, mechanics liens are common. A contractor doesn't get paid, files a lien, and suddenly you can't sell until it's resolved. Texas gives contractors generous rights to file these liens.

Judgment Liens

Got sued and lost? That judgment becomes a lien against your real estate. Medical debt, credit card lawsuits, business disputes — they all end up as clouds on your title.

Why Traditional Sales Don't Work with Title Issues

Here's what most people don't understand: you cannot sell a property with a clear title when there are unresolved liens or judgments attached to it. Period. The title company won't insure it, the buyer's lender won't approve the loan, and even cash buyers will walk away from a messy title.

I've seen this play out hundreds of times. Someone lists their house with a realtor, gets an offer, then discovers during the title search that there's a $15,000 lien they forgot about. Deal falls through. Another offer comes in, same thing happens. After the third failed contract, the listing expires and the homeowner is back to square one — except now they've wasted six months and still owe realtor marketing costs.

In San Antonio's competitive market, buyers have plenty of clean properties to choose from. Why would they deal with your title problems when they can buy the house down the street that doesn't have any?

Your Real Options When You Have Title Issues

Option 1: Resolve All Liens First

The "official" advice is always to clear up every lien and judgment before selling. Sounds simple, right? Pay off the IRS, settle with the HOA, satisfy all judgments, then list with a realtor.

Reality check: this can take months or years and cost you a fortune in legal fees. Plus, with San Antonio home values rising, every month you wait is money out of your pocket. If you had the cash to pay off all these liens, you probably wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.

Option 2: Sell to a Cash Buyer Who Handles Title Issues

This is where HOMESELL USA comes in. We buy houses with title problems every single day. Here's how it works: we research all the liens and judgments, calculate what it'll cost to clear the title, then make you an offer based on the property's value minus those costs and our reasonable profit.

You get cash in your pocket without spending months fighting with creditors. We handle all the legal work, pay off the liens at closing, and you're done. No repairs needed, no realtor commissions, no dealing with buyers who disappear when they see the title report.

Option 3: Short Sale or Foreclosure

If you owe more than the house is worth and can't resolve the liens, you might consider letting it go to foreclosure or attempting a short sale. But understand — this will destroy your credit for years and you'll get nothing out of the property.

What Title Issues Really Cost You in San Antonio's Market

Let's get specific about numbers. Say you own a house in Schertz worth $320,000 in today's market. You've got:

• $12,000 in property tax liens
• $8,500 in HOA liens and legal fees
• $6,000 mechanics lien from a roofing job gone wrong

That's $26,500 in liens. A traditional buyer won't touch it. You could spend $5,000 in legal fees and six months fighting these, or you could sell to a cash buyer like us who handles everything at closing.

Even after we account for resolving the liens and our profit margin, you'd likely walk away with $40,000 to $60,000 in cash. Compare that to letting the house sit on the market for a year while liens accrue interest and legal fees pile up.

The San Antonio Advantage: Why Our Market Helps

Here's some good news: San Antonio's strong housing market actually works in your favor when you have title issues. With median prices up over 8% this year and inventory still tight, properties have enough value to absorb the cost of resolving liens and still leave money for homeowners.

I'm seeing this especially in neighborhoods like Monte Vista, where a house might be worth $450,000 but have $35,000 in various liens. Five years ago, that might not have worked. Today, there's enough equity to make it worth everyone's while.

Red Flags: When Title Issues Get Complicated

Some title problems are more serious than others. Here are situations where you need immediate professional help:

• IRS liens over $100,000: The feds play hardball and have powers other creditors don't
• Multiple family members on title: Especially if someone died without a will
• Divorce situations: When ex-spouses don't cooperate with the sale
• Fraudulent liens: Sometimes creditors file bogus liens hoping you won't fight them

Why HOMESELL USA Works with San Antonio Title Issues

We've been buying problem properties in San Antonio since before the Spurs won their last championship. We know every title company in town, work with attorneys who specialize in clearing complex liens, and have the cash to close fast.

More importantly, we're not trying to steal your house. We make fair offers based on real market values. Whether you sell to us or find another solution, here's what you need to know: don't let title issues paralyze you. There are always options.

I had a veteran from the Northeast Side who inherited his mom's house along with $23,000 in various liens. He spent eight months trying to sort it out himself, got nowhere, and was about to walk away from the property entirely. We closed in two weeks, paid off all the liens, and he walked away with $31,000 cash. Sometimes the straightforward approach is the best approach.

If you're dealing with liens, judgments, or any other title problems on your San Antonio property, give Uncle Charles a call. No pressure, no judgment — just straight answers about what your options really are. Because here's the truth: every problem property has a solution, and I've probably seen your exact situation before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sell my San Antonio house if it has an IRS lien on it?

Yes, but you'll need to work with a cash buyer who can handle the lien at closing. Traditional buyers and their lenders won't approve a loan on a property with federal tax liens. The lien amount plus interest will be deducted from your proceeds at closing.

How long do HOA liens stay on my property in Texas?

HOA liens in Texas don't expire and will stay on your property indefinitely until paid. They also accrue interest and attorney fees, so a small violation can become a big problem quickly. HOA liens must be satisfied before you can transfer clear title to a buyer.

What's the difference between a lien and a judgment?

A judgment is a court order saying you owe money. A lien is the legal claim against your property that enforces that judgment. Once someone gets a judgment against you, they can typically file a lien against any real estate you own in that county.

Can I negotiate with creditors to reduce liens before selling?

Sometimes, but it takes time and there's no guarantee they'll negotiate. Some creditors, especially the IRS, rarely accept less than the full amount owed. Private creditors might settle for less, but you'll need documentation of financial hardship and the negotiation process can take months.

How much do title issues typically cost to resolve in San Antonio?

It varies widely depending on the type and amount of liens. Simple property tax liens just require payment of the back taxes plus interest. Complex situations with multiple liens, legal disputes, or federal taxes can cost $5,000-$15,000 in legal fees alone, plus whatever you owe the creditors.