Free & clear property going to tax lien sale.

[Barbara Riley]

I see properties with high equity or even free and clear properties pending a tax lien sale. Why don't the home owners borrow against their equity or sell their house and pay the back taxes prior to the sheriff sale? All I can think of is that they can't qualify for a  loan, or the house needs so many repairs that they can't find a buyer. What am I missing?

[Ned Carey]

The ones that actually get foreclosed on are generally not the ones worth $100K. They are often derelict and or abandoned properties. If people can't or won't pay their taxes they generally aren't spending a lot of money on maintenance either. 

While it is common for nice houses to go into a tax lien sale it is not common for them to be foreclosed on.