How fast can Byrd and Co close on an Ohio property?

Byrd and Co typically closes Ohio transactions within 7 to 14 days when the title is clear. Ohio closings are handled through title companies, and the Byrd and Co team coordinates directly with a local Ohio title company. If there are title complications such as liens, estate issues, or unpaid property taxes, the timeline may extend but Byrd and Co handles the resolution.

Who pays the conveyance fee when selling to Byrd and Co in Ohio?

Byrd and Co covers all closing costs including Ohio's conveyance fee. In most Ohio counties the conveyance fee is $4 per $1,000 of the sale price, which is typically the seller's responsibility in a traditional sale. On a $250,000 home that is $1,000 in conveyance fees. When selling to Byrd and Co, the company absorbs the entire fee plus all other closing costs. The cash offer presented is the net amount the seller receives.

Can Byrd and Co buy my Ohio house if it is in foreclosure?

Yes. Ohio foreclosures are exclusively judicial. The lender files a complaint with the county court and the homeowner has 28 days to file an answer. If no answer is filed, the court can issue a default judgment and the property moves toward a sheriff's sale. The full process typically takes six months to a year. Byrd and Co can purchase the property at any point before the sheriff's sale is completed.

Does Byrd and Co buy houses across all of Ohio or just major cities?

Byrd and Co buys properties across Ohio, not just in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland. The company regularly purchases homes in Dayton, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, Canton, Springfield, Lakewood, Stow, and smaller communities. Byrd and Co also buys in rural Ohio counties where traditional buyers are harder to find. Homeowners can call (410) 855-1722 to confirm coverage in their area.

Are Ohio property taxes a problem when selling to Byrd and Co?

No. Ohio property taxes are prorated at closing so the seller only pays for the portion of the year they owned the home. If the seller is behind on property taxes, Byrd and Co can often cover the delinquent amount as part of the closing. Ohio counties conduct tax lien certificate sales on delinquent properties, and selling to Byrd and Co before that process starts protects the homeowner from losing the property.

Ryan Byrd

Can You Sell a House With a Lien or Code Violations?

Yes, you can sell a house with a lien or open code violations, but most liens must be paid off at or before closing, and unresolved code violations can scare off traditional buyers and their lenders. A title company will identify every lien during the title search, and any judgment, tax, or HOA lien typically gets paid directly out of the sale proceeds at closing. Byrd and Co buys homes with liens and violations as-is and handles the resolution as part of the sale.

What Is a Property Lien and How Does It Affect a Sale?
What Types of Liens Can Stop You From Selling?
Can You Sell a House With Open Code Violations?
How Do You Clear a Lien Before Selling?
Can Liens Be Paid Off at Closing Instead of Before Listing?
How Does Selling to a Cash Buyer Handle Liens and Violations?
How Long Does It Take to Sell a House With Title Issues?
FAQ

What Is a Property Lien and How Does It Affect a Sale?

A lien is a legal claim against your property that a creditor files when you owe them money. It gives the creditor the right to be paid from the proceeds if the property is sold, and in most cases, it must be satisfied before the title can transfer cleanly to a new owner.

Liens attach to the property itself, not just to you personally — which means a lien stays with the house even after a sale unless it’s specifically paid off or resolved. This is why a title search is a standard part of every home sale: it uncovers any liens the seller may not even know exist.

What Types of Liens Can Stop You From Selling?

Several types of liens commonly show up during a title search:

Lien Type	Common Cause
Mortgage lien	Standard lien held by your mortgage lender until the loan is paid off
Tax lien	Unpaid federal, state, or property taxes
Judgment lien	A court judgment against you from an unpaid debt or lawsuit
Mechanic’s lien	Unpaid contractor or supplier for work done on the home
HOA lien	Unpaid homeowners association dues or fines
Child support lien	Unpaid child support obligations, in states that allow this

Any of these can appear on a title report and must generally be addressed before or at closing. A property can have more than one lien attached at the same time, and they’re typically paid in the order they were filed, though tax liens often take priority regardless of filing date.

Can You Sell a House With Open Code Violations?

Yes, but open code violations complicate a traditional sale in a few specific ways.

Municipal code violations — things like unpermitted additions, unsafe electrical work, expired permits, or unresolved health and safety citations — often show up during a buyer’s inspection or a municipal lien search the title company runs as part of closing. Many mortgage lenders will not approve financing on a property with open violations until they’re resolved, which can eliminate a large share of potential buyers.

Some cities and counties also place a lien on the property for unpaid fines tied to the violation, which functions the same as any other lien and needs to be resolved before or at closing.

Sellers generally have three options with code violations: fix the underlying issue and get it signed off by the municipality, negotiate a price reduction so the buyer takes on the repair, or sell to a cash buyer who purchases as-is and doesn’t require lender approval.

How Do You Clear a Lien Before Selling?

Clearing a lien generally follows this process:

Get a payoff statement. Contact the lienholder (the IRS, a contractor, the HOA, a court) and request the exact amount owed, including any accrued interest or fees.
Negotiate if possible. Some lienholders, particularly the IRS and judgment creditors, will negotiate a reduced payoff amount, especially if you’re selling and can pay in full at closing.
Pay the lien and get a release. Once paid, the lienholder issues a lien release or satisfaction document — the IRS, for example, is required to issue a Certificate of Release of Federal Tax Lien within 30 days of full payment — which the title company records to clear the title.
Confirm the title is clear. A follow-up title search confirms the lien no longer shows against the property.

This process can take anywhere from a few days (a straightforward HOA lien) to several months (a contested judgment lien), which is why many sellers prefer to have liens paid directly out of sale proceeds rather than resolving them beforehand.

Can Liens Be Paid Off at Closing Instead of Before Listing?

In most cases, yes — this is actually the standard way liens get resolved in a real estate transaction. The title company calculates the payoff amount for every lien on the property, deducts those amounts from the sale proceeds, pays each lienholder directly, and only then releases the remaining funds to the seller.

This means you often don’t need to come up with cash out of pocket before selling. As long as the sale price covers the total of all liens plus closing costs, everything gets settled automatically as part of the closing process.

The exception is when total liens exceed what the property will sell for — in that case, the seller may need to negotiate directly with lienholders or bring cash to closing to cover the gap.

How Does Selling to a Cash Buyer Handle Liens and Violations?

Selling to Byrd and Co removes most of the friction liens and code violations create in a traditional sale:

No lender approval needed. Since we’re not financing the purchase, open code violations that would block a mortgage don’t block our offer.
Liens are handled at closing. We work with the title company to identify every lien and structure the payoff directly from the sale proceeds.
No repairs required first. You don’t need to fix the underlying violation before we’ll buy — the condition is factored into the offer.
One team managing the whole process. Rather than juggling a lienholder, a title company, and a buyer’s lender separately, our team coordinates the resolution as part of the transaction.

Read more about how a cash offer works if you want to see the full process end to end.

How Long Does It Take to Sell a House With Title Issues?

Situation	Typical Timeline
Simple lien (HOA, small judgment), paid at closing	7–21 days
Complex lien (contested judgment, multiple liens)	30–90 days
Traditional listing with open code violations	90+ days, often longer if financing falls through
Cash sale to Byrd and Co, liens and violations included	7–14 days

The biggest variable is whether the buyer needs financing. Cash sales avoid the lender approval process entirely, which is usually what slows down — or kills — a sale involving liens or violations.

Have a Lien or Code Violation Holding Up a Sale?

Byrd and Co buys homes with liens, judgments, and open code violations across 12 states — no repairs required, no lender approval needed. We work directly with the title company to resolve everything at closing.

Get Your Cash Offer → | Call (443) 251-3479

Frequently Asked Questions About Selling a House With Liens

Q: Will a lien show up automatically when I try to sell my house? Yes. A title search is a standard part of every closing, and it will surface any liens filed against the property, even ones you may have forgotten about or didn’t know existed. It’s best to check your own title report before listing so you’re not surprised mid-sale.

Q: Can I sell my house if I have more than one lien against it? Yes. Multiple liens are common and typically get paid in priority order directly from the sale proceeds at closing. As long as the sale price covers all liens plus closing costs, the process works the same as with a single lien.

Q: Does a code violation always require a full repair before I can sell? Not always, and not to a cash buyer. Traditional buyers using financing often can’t get a mortgage approved with open violations, which effectively requires repairs first. Cash buyers like Byrd and Co purchase as-is and factor the violation into the offer instead.

Q: What happens if the liens on my house are worth more than the sale price? This is called being “underwater” on the title. You may need to negotiate directly with lienholders for a reduced payoff, bring cash to closing to cover the gap, or in some cases pursue options similar to a short sale. Talk to a real estate attorney or the lienholder’s negotiation department directly.

Q: How do I find out what liens are on my property before I try to sell? You can request a title search from a title company or attorney, or in many counties, search public land records online through the county recorder or clerk’s office. This gives you a head start on resolving anything before it becomes a surprise during closing.