If you’ve spent any time looking into tax liens or tax deeds, you’ve probably heard:
- “Earn 18% interest”
- “Buy houses for pennies”
- “No competition”
That might be true… somewhere.
But here in Kansas and Missouri, it’s a different game.
And that’s where most investors get into trouble—
they’re following strategies that don’t match the market they’re actually investing in.
Tax liens and tax deeds are not the same thing.
- Tax Liens → You’re buying the debt (and earning interest if it’s redeemed)
- Tax Deeds → You’re buying the property itself
That sounds simple.
But most of the mistakes happen after that.
The Problem in Kansas & Missouri
Let’s address this head on:
👉 We do not have the high interest rates you hear about in other states.
So if your entire strategy is based on:
- double-digit returns
- passive income from liens
You’re already starting from the wrong assumption.
That doesn’t mean there’s no opportunity.
It just means:
👉 the opportunity is different than what you were thought
Why Most Investors Lose Money
We actually hosted a full meeting on this a while back because we kept seeing the same issues over and over again.
Here’s what goes wrong:
✔️ They Don’t Buy What They Think They’re Buying
This is the one that surprises people the most.
- You think you bought a house
- You actually bought a strip of land in the ditch out front
Or:
- a sliver of property
- a landlocked parcel
- something with no real use or access
👉 If you didn’t research it first, you’re guessing.
✔️ They Can’t Take Control Fast Enough
Even when you did buy the right property…
- There may be redemption periods
- There may be legal steps required
- There may be delays you didn’t plan for
Meanwhile:
- the property deteriorates
- the situation gets worse
- your “deal” loses value
👉 Time is not always on your side in these deals.
✔️ They Skip Due Diligence
This is where most losses happen.
- No title research
- No understanding of liens or other encumbrances
- No inspection (or at least exterior evaluation)
They bid based on:
- price
- excitement
- or worse… hope
👉 That’s not investing—that’s gambling.
✔️ They Think This Is Passive
It’s not.
Even tax liens require:
- tracking
- follow-up
- understanding legal timelines
Tax deeds?
Even more hands-on.
So Why Do Some Investors Still Do Very Well?
Because they treat this like a strategy, not a shortcut.
And interestingly…
👉 The investors who do well in this space are usually very quiet about it.
They’re not posting about it.
They’re not teaching it publicly.
They’re just showing up, doing the work, and buying deals.
Just to give you an idea.
There was the local investor buying tax deeds on vacant land in rural Missouri for under $500 a parcel. Selling it to people who wanted to cut their own fire wood or go hunting. Using seller financing.
The Marketing Magic Lady – she’s taught a few classes about marketing for us. She discovered that marketing tax deed lists got her interesting property that again she could buy for very little and seller finance it.
The I Buy Dirt Guy – you might find some of his training videos. His whole goal, to buy vacant land. He started with houses, but he wanted to buy remote as he likes to travel the world and houses were too much work. So tax deeds and he also ends up with land.
Weird, you can get houses too, but all the good stories and great profits seem to be on land. Hmm..
✔️ They Know the Counties They’re Buying In
Every county is different.
- Rules
- timelines
- processes
They don’t “dabble everywhere.”
They focus.
✔️ They Research Before They Bid
They know:
- exactly what parcel they’re buying
- what it’s worth
- what the risks are
Before they ever raise their hand.
✔️ They Have a Plan Before They Buy
They know:
- exactly what parcel they’re buying
- what it’s worth
- what the risks are
Before they ever raise their hand.
✔️ They Understand the Timeline
They’re not surprised by:
- redemption periods
- legal steps
- delays
They build that into their expectations.
So Where Does This Fit as a Strategy?
Tax liens and tax deeds are not a “get rich quick” strategy.
They’re a tool.
- Tax liens → can be used for income (in the right markets)
- Tax deeds → can be used for acquisition
But in Kansas City?
Tax sales are coming in August and September and we want you to be ready . . .but there are not a lot of people teaching the concepts. So we are bringing in an Expert: Jason Porter the Tax Lien Tutor will be joining us at the May 12th MAREI Meeting. If you’ve been looking for something that does not take a lot of cash, will not require a lot of knowledge of houses and repairs (if you focus on land), and no tenants, toilets, or contractors . . . then you will want to come see what Tax Liens and Deeds are all about.
