Updated October 2026 · By the Infinite Cash Home Buyers team
Quick answer
If you’re behind on property taxes in Fresno County, you have time, but the clock is real. Unpaid taxes go into default after June 30, penalties and interest keep adding up, and after five years in default the county tax collector can sell the house at a public auction. Selling before then pays the back taxes in escrow and puts the rest of the equity in your hands. We’re a licensed general contractor that buys houses as-is and can close in as little as 5 days.
How the property tax clock works in California
California’s rules are set by state law, so the timeline is the same in Fresno, Clovis, Sanger or Selma.
- Late installments. Property tax bills come in two installments. Each one picks up a 10% penalty if it isn’t paid on time.
- Tax default. If the year’s taxes are still unpaid on June 30, the property becomes tax-defaulted. From then on, redemption penalties of 1.5% a month are added on top of the unpaid taxes.
- Five years in default. Once a home has been tax-defaulted for five years, the county tax collector gains the power to sell it at a public tax sale.
- The tax sale. Before the auction, the county sends notices and posts the sale. You can usually still pay off the full amount until the business day before the sale.
The longer it runs, the more the penalties add up, and the less equity you keep.
What happens if I don’t pay property taxes in California?
In short: penalties, then default, then the risk of losing the house at auction. A tax sale can also wipe out most of the equity you’d otherwise keep, because the house is sold to the highest bidder and you have little control over the price.
There are other ways out. Fresno County, like other California counties, offers a five-year payment plan for defaulted taxes in many cases, if you can keep up with the payments and current taxes. A family member may help catch up the balance. If neither works, selling is often the cleanest way to protect the equity.
How a sale pays off the back taxes
When we buy the house, the title company figures out exactly what’s owed, including taxes, penalties and any mortgage, and pays it all from the sale in escrow on closing day. You don’t have to come up with the money first. Whatever’s left after the payoffs is yours.
We buy the house as-is. You don’t fix anything, clean anything or show it to anyone, and our own crews handle the repairs after closing.
How it works with us
- Call or text (559) 272-3893, or fill out the offer form. If you have a tax notice or a sale date, have it handy.
- Walk-through. Oscar or someone from our team sees the house in person, usually within a day or two.
- Written offer with our repair numbers.
- Close at a local Fresno title company before any sale date: as fast as 5 days when title is clear.
FAQ
Can I still sell if the county has scheduled a tax sale?
Usually yes, if the sale closes and the taxes are paid before the auction date. Call as soon as you get a notice, because time matters.
What if I also have a mortgage or other liens?
They’re paid off in escrow too. If what you owe is more than the house is worth, we’ll tell you straight whether a cash sale works.
Do I have to pay the back taxes before I sell?
No. They’re paid from the sale proceeds at closing.
Are you a wholesaler?
No. We’re a direct buyer. We buy the house ourselves, our crews renovate it, and we never assign contracts. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Get your offer
Call or text (559) 272-3893 or request your offer online. Also behind on the mortgage? See How to Sell Before the Trustee Sale.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Check your exact amounts and deadlines with the Fresno County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector, and talk to a tax professional about your situation.
Infinite Cash Home Buyers is the home-buying division of Infinite Home Solutions LLC, a licensed and bonded California general contractor (CSLB #1126804) at 4762 W Jennifer Ave, Ste 101, Fresno, CA 93722. We’ve bought 584 properties across the Central Valley since 2022. We’re direct buyers, not wholesalers: we buy every house ourselves and our own crews renovate it, so we buy as-is, pay cash and can close in as little as 5 days. We buy houses, condos, commercial buildings and businesses from Bakersfield to Stockton.