We buy houses in Prince William County, VA

The county can cut all or part of your real estate tax if you are 65 or older, or totally and permanently disabled.

For 2026, the county's limits were:

• household income in 2025 of $123,903 or less
• net worth of $400,000 or less, not counting the home and up to 25 acres
• you own the home and it is your only home.

The 2026 application was due April 15. The program can also cover the trash fee and tax on one car.

If you qualify, you can split the real estate bill into 12 monthly payments. For 2026 that request was due June 5. The assessment office is at 703-792-6780.

When a home loan is secured by a deed of trust, a trustee sells the home. If you live in the home, you must get the sale notice by certified or registered mail at least 60 days ahead (Va. Code 55.1-321).

Tax is different. Land can be sold once its tax is still unpaid on December 31 after the second anniversary of the due date (Va. Code 58.1-3965).

The county's steps run like this:

• a Judicial Tax Sale Notice gives you 30 days to pay or set up a plan
• the county's lawyers file a suit in Circuit Court
• a public auction is held at the courthouse at 9311 Lee Avenue.

The county says this takes six months to more than a year. Lawyer, title and notice costs are added to what you owe.

You can still redeem by paying everything before the sale date. A partial payment does not stop the case (Va. Code 58.1-3965).

Taxing Authority Consulting Services, a law firm, collects for the county. Its number is 804-545-2500.

The clerk lists three charges that the law puts on the seller's side:

• grantor tax, 50 cents per $500 (Va. Code 58.1-802)
• regional congestion relief fee, $0.10 per $100 (Va. Code 58.1-802.4)
• WMATA fee, $0.10 per $100 (Va. Code 58.1-802.3).

By our math, those come to $1,500 on a $500,000 sale. The law lets buyer and seller agree to shift the two regional fees.

The deed also carries a state recordation tax of $0.25 per $100. The county adds one third of that amount (Va. Code 58.1-801 and 58.1-3800).

Say the owner died without a will, and no one qualified to run the estate within 30 days. Then any heir may file a sworn list of heirs (Va. Code 64.2-509).

Farm, forest, horticultural and open space land can be taxed at use value instead of market value. Buildings on it are still taxed at full value.

The county inspects every enrolled parcel each year. Owners must revalidate every sixth year, and the next mailing is set for fall 2026.

A rollback tax is due if you change the use, rezone or split off lots. It covers the gap between market and use value for this year and the five years before, with interest.

In 2026 the county taxes manufactured homes at $0.865 per $100, and the trash fee for a mobile home is $67.20.

A manufactured home on your own land stays titled with the DMV until you convert it. That takes a sworn affidavit that the wheels are off and the home is attached (Va. Code 46.2-653.1).

Two service districts pay an extra levy in 2026. Lake Jackson pays $0.15 and Bull Run Mountain pays $0.095 per $100.