Would you buy a home with city liens/fines?

[Britt Smith]

I'm eyeing a house in a great area BUT the home has tons of liens violations on it. Would you stay away from this? Is there a way to buy the home w/o paying those liens/violations? 

[Joe Villeneuve]

Yes, maybe,...this is a step by step process.  If all steps are completed in order, then these liens/fines alone aren't the reason to not buy a property. The analysis still has to work.  Here are the steps, in order:

1 - Negotiate verbally ahead of time with the city.
2 - Put on the purchase agreement that the deal is contingent on the buyer receiving a satisfactory written agreement from the city to resolve the fines/fees issues.
3 - Now, get it in writing from the city.  Take the signed PA to show the city this is a real deal that goes through with a written agreement from the city.

Now, if at this point you can't get it in writing from the city, I wouldn't do the deal.