Property taxes
Some seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities qualify for a reduction in the amount of property tax they owe each year on their home. Learn how to get this property tax exemption, get a deferral and put off paying taxes until later, or get late fees and penalties waived if you’re a mobile home owner.
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1. Property tax foreclosure
Try to talk to a lawyer if you fall behind in your property tax payments. If you get a property tax foreclosure notice, you may qualify for free legal help from the Northwest Justice Project’s Foreclosure Prevention Unit at 1-800-606-4819.
Washington State counties charge state and local taxes based on the value of your home and the land it sits on. If you owe unpaid property tax for more than 3 years, the county may start a foreclosure process. For example, even if you’ve paid all the property taxes you owe in the last 3 years, but you still owe taxes from 4 years ago, the county may still start the foreclosure process.
If your home is a mobile home, the county doesn’t have to wait for you to owe property taxes for 3 years if the county believes you’re about to sell the home, have it destroyed, or have it moved out of the county.
At the end of the foreclosure process, the county may sell the home and property to recover the unpaid property taxes. But some seniors and persons with disabilities may be able to prevent this if you qualify for a county tax exemption or deferral. Mobile homeowners face a shorter process but also may have other options.