Tax Sale Redemption & Redemption Rights
Short answer: Missouri gives you 1 year after a tax lien sale to redeem your property. Kansas gives you zero days after the sheriff's deed records. Your rights depend on your county. Saving KC buys homes with tax liens and pays the debt at closing. Call Ernest at 816-429-2900.
Missouri and Kansas handle tax sales in completely opposite ways. Missouri gives you a year to make it right. Kansas? Once that sheriff's deed hits the record, it's done.
I've worked with homeowners on both sides of the state line who lost their homes because nobody explained the rules plainly. Not because they didn't care. Because the process is confusing and the deadlines are unforgiving. This page fixes that.
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Let's cut through the fog.
Your home was put on the tax sale list because you fell behind on property taxes. An investor bought your tax lien — meaning they paid the county what you owe. They didn't buy your house. Not yet.
In Missouri, you still own your home. You have 365 days from the date of that sale to pay back the full amount — every dollar of taxes owed, 10% annual interest, and whatever the buyer spent at the sale. Do that, and the certificate gets cancelled. You keep the house.
Skip that deadline? The certificate holder petitions the court for a collector's deed. Once the judge signs off, the deed transfers to them. Your house — the equity, the memories, everything — belongs to someone else. For the price of your back taxes.
You still own your home after the tax sale. But the clock is running. In Missouri, you've got 1 year. In Kansas, your rights ended the day before the sale.
RSMo Chapter 140 spells out exactly what you can and can't do after a tax sale. Here's what the law says — in plain language.
If your property went to a third-year offering, you don't have a year. You have 90 days. And if it was a post-third-year sale, the buyer already has the deed. No redemption window at all. Call us immediately: 816-429-2900.
If your property is in Wyandotte or Johnson County, the rules are worse.
Kansas uses judicial tax foreclosure under K.S.A. 79-2801. When you fall behind on taxes, the county files a court action. The court issues a judgment. The property goes to sheriff's sale.
Here's the part that catches people off guard: your redemption rights end the day before the sale. Not the day of. Not a year after. The day before.
Once the sheriff's deed is recorded, ownership transfers. No window. No appeals. No way back.
If you own a home in KCK, Piper, Bonner Springs, Overland Park, Olathe, or anywhere in Wyandotte or Johnson County — and you're behind on taxes — call now. Not next week. Every day before the sheriff's sale is your only window to act.
There's one narrow exception: K.S.A. 79-2804b allows a legal challenge to the foreclosure procedures within 12 months after the sale is confirmed by the court. That's not a redemption right — it's a challenge to whether the county followed proper procedure. You'd need a lawyer, and the odds aren't great unless the county made a clear error.
Missouri gives you a window. Kansas doesn't. If you're on the Kansas side and the foreclosure process has started, selling now is the only way to protect your equity. Call Ernest: 816-429-2900.
Here's a real example from Jackson County.
You own a home in Independence. Property taxes run about $2,500 a year. You fell behind three years ago.
| Year | Taxes Owed | + 10% Interest | Running Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $2,500 | $250 | $2,750 |
| Year 2 | $2,500 | $525 | $5,775 |
| Year 3 | $2,500 | $828 | $9,103 |
| + Penalties, admin fees, purchaser's costs | $10,000 - $12,000 | ||
That's for a modest tax bill. In Johnson County, where property taxes run $4,000-$6,000 a year, you could be looking at $18,000-$25,000 to redeem.
Most people who fall behind on taxes don't have $10,000 in a checking account. That's the whole reason they fell behind.
Jackson County Collector: (816) 881-3232 at 415 E 12th St, Floor 1. They'll tell you exactly what you owe and where your property stands in the tax sale timeline.
You don't have to come up with $10,000 in cash to keep your house. You can sell it instead.
When you sell your home to Saving KC during the redemption period, here's what happens:
No scrambling for money. No payment plan applications. No risk of missing the deadline.
Here's the math that matters: A home worth $120,000 with $12,000 in back taxes still has over $100,000 in equity. If you let the certificate holder get the collector's deed, they paid $12,000 at the tax sale and walk away with a $120,000 asset. You get zero.
You can sell your home at any point during the redemption period — even if a certificate holder already bought your lien. The title company handles the payoff. You don't need to contact the certificate holder yourself.
Two paths after the tax sale. Here's how they compare.
| Sell to UsSaving KC | Redeem Yourself | |
|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Close in 14 days | Must pay full amount within 1 year |
| Out-of-Pocket Cost | $0 — we handle everything | Full back taxes + 10% interest + fees |
| Stress Level | One phone call, we do the rest | County paperwork, deadlines, uncertainty |
| Risk | Guaranteed close — we never back out | Miss the deadline and lose everything |
| Your Equity | Cash in hand, fresh start | Keep home but pay heavy premium |
| Back Taxes | We pay every dollar at closing | You pay every dollar yourself |
| Agent Commissions | $0 | N/A (no sale involved) |
| Closing Costs | $0 — we cover all | N/A (no sale involved) |
Under RSMo Chapter 140, you get 1 year from the date of the first or second offering tax lien sale. For third-year offerings (property offered twice without adequate bids), you get just 90 days. And after a post-third-year sale, there's no redemption at all — the buyer gets an immediate deed. Call the county collector to find out which type of sale your property went through.
No. Kansas uses judicial tax foreclosure under K.S.A. 79-2801. Your redemption rights end the day before the sale. Once the sheriff's deed is recorded, the property belongs to the buyer. If you own a home in Wyandotte or Johnson County with delinquent taxes, you need to act before the foreclosure sale — not after.
Missouri law allows the property owner, their spouse, any heir or beneficiary, a mortgage holder, a judgment creditor, or anyone with a recorded interest in the property to redeem. So if your mom left you a house with back taxes and the lien was sold, you can redeem it as heir — even if probate isn't finished.
Yes. You can sell at any point during the redemption period. The title company pays off all back taxes, interest, and the certificate holder's costs from the sale proceeds. You walk away with the remaining equity. We close in as few as 14 days and handle the entire tax payoff at closing.
Every dollar of delinquent taxes, plus 10% annual interest, plus the purchaser's costs from the tax sale. A $2,500/year tax bill that went unpaid for three years can balloon to $10,000-$12,000 with compounded interest, penalties, and fees. Call the Jackson County Collector at (816) 881-3232 for your exact redemption balance.
The certificate holder petitions for a collector's deed. Once granted, ownership of your home transfers to them. You lose the property and all equity. No extensions. No exceptions. A certificate holder who paid $12,000 at the tax sale walks away with a home worth $120,000 or more.
Missouri sells tax liens with a 1-year redemption period (90 days for third-year offerings). You keep ownership during that window and can redeem or sell. Kansas uses judicial tax foreclosure with no redemption after the sale. Your rights end the day before the sheriff's sale. Kansas is harder on homeowners.
Yes — if you're still within the redemption window. Call immediately at 816-429-2900. We can buy your home, pay off the tax debt and the certificate holder's costs at closing, and get you cash for your equity. Every day that passes is one day closer to losing your home for good.
"I was behind on taxes and scared of losing my house. Ernest took care of everything. Closed fast and I walked away with cash in hand."
"We inherited my mother's home and had no idea what to do. Saving KC walked us through every step. Fair price, no games."
"Ernest made a stressful situation simple. We had an offer in 24 hours and closed in 2 weeks. Couldn't have asked for a better experience."
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