---
title: "Sell a House with Code Violations Fast | MD & VA | James Mancera"
description: "Selling a house with code violations, unpaid HOA dues, IRS liens, or judgment liens in Maryland or Virginia? I buy properties with title issues for cash. Real offer today. James Mancera."
url: "https://jamesmancera.com/code-violations"
last_updated: 2026-05-06
---

# Code Violations, Liens, or Citations? I Still Buy.

**Outstanding code violations, unpaid HOA dues, IRS liens, county citations, I buy properties with title and code issues for cash in Maryland and Virginia. Liens get resolved at closing.**

---

Code violations, unpaid HOA dues, IRS liens, judgment liens, county citations, these are the things that make traditional sales fall apart at the title table, after weeks of work and waiting. A buyer's lender sees a property with active code violations or an IRS lien and they pull financing. The deal dies. You're back to square one. I buy with cash, and I work through these title complications as part of the normal closing process.

Outstanding code violations in Maryland and Virginia come in all varieties, unsafe structure citations, permit violations for work done without permits, zoning violations, health code citations. Some are minor and easily resolved. Others represent years of accumulated issues that look overwhelming on paper but are manageable in practice when you have the right title company and the right buyer. My team has worked through every variety.

IRS and state tax liens, judgment liens from creditors, mechanic's liens from contractors, these all attach to real property and appear in the title search. When you sell to me, the title company calculates the payoff amount for each lien and settles them from the sale proceeds before you receive your balance. You don't come to closing with a check; the proceeds handle it. This is how all real estate sales work with liens, selling to a cash buyer just removes the complication of a bank lender getting spooked by them.

HOA issues deserve special attention. In Maryland and Virginia, HOA communities are empowered to place liens for unpaid assessments and dues. These liens take priority in certain situations and can complicate title significantly. I've bought properties in Reston HOA communities, St. Charles in Charles County, and dozens of other HOA-heavy markets with outstanding balances, contested assessments, and access disputes. The HOA gets paid at closing. The new owner (me) takes over the relationship. You move on.

No commissions, no closing costs on your end. The offer I make accounts for the liens that will be paid at closing. Fill out the form below and I'll call you today.

---

## FAQ

**Q: Can you buy a house with outstanding code violations?**

A: Yes. Code violations don't prevent a cash sale, they just need to be disclosed and addressed in title. In most cases, violations are either resolved as a condition of closing, remain with the property for the new owner to address, or are factored into the purchase price. My title company works through this regularly in both Maryland and Virginia.

**Q: What happens to my IRS or judgment liens at closing?**

A: Liens against the property get paid off at the closing table from the sale proceeds before you receive the balance. The title company coordinates payoff amounts with the IRS, judgment creditors, or HOA. You don't have to pay them separately or arrange financing to settle them, the sale handles it.

**Q: My HOA has been threatening to file liens. Can I still sell?**

A: Yes. HOA issues, whether they're threatened liens, filed liens, or disputes over access and community rules, get resolved through the title process. Outstanding HOA balances are paid from proceeds at closing. I've bought properties in HOA communities throughout Maryland and Virginia with various outstanding balances and disputes.

**Q: Do I need to fix the code violations before selling?**

A: Not when selling to me. I buy properties with violations as-is. Depending on the jurisdiction and the nature of the violation, some may need to be addressed as a condition of transfer, but that's handled through the title process, not through you spending money on repairs before we close.