If your Pitt County property taxes are unpaid after January 6, interest starts building; the county can garnish wages or take money from bank accounts, and the property can eventually be sold at a tax foreclosure auction. You can stop the process by paying the taxes in full, including by selling the property and paying them off at closing. ENC Home Solutions buys properties with back taxes across Pitt County and Eastern North Carolina for cash.
ENC Home Solutions is a family-owned cash home buyer in Greenville, North Carolina, buying houses, land and mobile homes across Pitt County and Eastern North Carolina since 2020, with 150+ properties bought and counting.
When are Pitt County property taxes due and when are they late?
Pitt County property tax bills go out each July and are due by September 1. They are not considered delinquent until January 6 of the following year. Starting January 6, interest is added at 2% for the first month and three-quarters of 1% for each month after that. North Carolina law sets this interest, and the county cannot waive it.
What happens if I do not pay my Pitt County property taxes?
The county moves through a series of collection steps, adding fees at each one:
- Interest begins on January 6. 2% the first month, then three-quarters of 1% every month.
- Your name is advertised in March. By state law, Pitt County publishes unpaid real estate taxes every year, and advertising costs are added to your bill. The county describes this advertisement as the start of the foreclosure process.
- Garnishment and attachment. The county can require your employer to send 10% of your gross pay each pay period, take money from your bank account, collect rent directly from your tenants, or take your state income tax refund. Each garnishment notice adds fees, and the county says payment plans are not an option once a garnishment starts.
- Referral to a foreclosure attorney. If taxes remain unpaid, the county refers the property to an attorney, who files a legal action.
- Tax foreclosure auction. The property is sold at the Pitt County Courthouse in uptown Greenville.
- The upset bid period. Anyone can raise the bid during the upset bid period. During that time, the owner can still stop the sale by paying all taxes owed.
- The sale becomes final. If no higher bid comes in, the high bidder gets a deed, and the owner loses the property.
These steps follow Pitt County Tax Administration’s published process as of October 2026. Confirm the details for your property with your attorney or the county tax office.
Do Winterville taxes work the same way?
Mostly, yes. Pitt County’s combined advertisement covers the county, Greenville, Ayden, Bethel, Falkland, Farmville, Grimesland and Simpson. Winterville’s unpaid real estate taxes are listed separately. Either way, past-due taxes are a lien on the property and must be paid before it can be sold with clear title.
Can I sell my property if I owe back taxes?
Yes. Back taxes, interest and fees are paid off at closing from the sale price, and you keep whatever is left. The closing attorney gets the exact payoff from the tax office. In North Carolina, delinquent property taxes are a lien that comes ahead of almost every other claim, so they are always paid first.
Selling before a tax foreclosure auction usually leaves you with far more money. Auction bids often start at little more than the taxes, interest and legal costs owed, and the owner has no say in the final price.
What are my options if I am behind on property taxes?
- Pay in full. Call Pitt County Tax Administration at 252-902-1000 for a payoff amount. Their office is at 1717 West Fifth Street in Greenville.
- Ask about payment options early. Talk to the tax office before garnishment begins. Once a garnishment starts, the county says payment plans are not available.
- Refinance or borrow against the property, if you have equity and qualify.
- Sell the property. A sale pays off the taxes and stops the process. If a tax sale is coming, we work to close before it.
- Talk to an attorney if you believe the taxes are wrong or you are in bankruptcy.
How does selling to ENC Home Solutions work?
- Call us or fill out the form. Tell us the address and a little about the property.
- We walk the property. A member of our team sees it in person, usually within a few days and at a time that suits you.
- You get a written cash offer. You get it within 96 hours, with no obligation and no pressure.
- You choose the closing date. A local North Carolina closing attorney handles the title work and payoffs.
- Get paid at closing. No commissions, no repairs and no cleanout, and we cover the closing costs.
Get a written cash offer for your property. No obligation, no commissions, no repairs.
Frequently asked questions
If someone else pays my back taxes, do they own my property?
No. Pitt County says that paying another person’s delinquent taxes does not give that person ownership. Be wary of anyone who claims otherwise.
How do I check whether my taxes are delinquent?
Pitt County publishes a searchable list of delinquent tax bills online, or you can call the tax office at 252-902-1000.
Can I sell a property with back taxes that I inherited?
Yes. Inherited properties with back taxes are common. The taxes are paid at closing. See Inherited and Probate Property.
What if I am behind on my mortgage too?
Both can usually be handled at the same closing. See Stop Foreclosure in North Carolina.
When would we close?
You choose the closing date. If a tax sale is coming, we work to close before it.
Can I sell before the March advertisement?
Yes. You can sell at any time, and the back taxes are paid at closing.
Do back taxes stay with the property when it sells?
They are a lien on the property, so they are paid off at closing before the buyer takes title.
Do you buy properties already in tax foreclosure?
Yes, as long as the sale can close and the taxes can be paid before the upset bid period ends.
Related pages: Pitt County · Greenville · Cash Offer or List With an Agent?
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ENC Home Solutions is not a law firm, and this page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws and local procedures change, and every situation is different, so we recommend talking with a North Carolina attorney before you act.
Written by Rachael T., Owner, ENC Home Solutions. Last updated October 27, 2026.