My wife owes back taxes on a property that she purchased before we were married. Will that prevent us from obtaining a new loan in both of our names?

If she owes back real estate taxes then they will usually show up as a Lien or Judgment on HER credit report, not yours. Therefore, you should be able to finance a new property yourself, up to your qualified amount of course. If you add her to the new loan then a lender will probably require that the old Tax Lien be paid prior to providing new financing on another home. I'm a Lender in Virginia and do not lend in Utah so I suggest you find a local lender there to discuss the details and understand what exactly shows on her credit report.

Maybe... It depends if it shows up in credit, or title searches. All you can do is complete a full application, and be up-front with your loan officer so there are no surprises later.

Much more info needed to properly answer your question.. but it's possible this could prevent you from getting approved. If you are applying together, then the new lender will require full disclosure of all other properties you and your wife own, and will need to know their carrying costs. (taxes, insurance, assessments, mortgage payment, etc.).. if the taxes are delinquent, then the new lender could require you pay them up before issuing a new loan.. I'm a Broker here in Scottsdale AZ and I only lend in Arizona. If you or someone you know is looking for financing options, feel free to contact me or pass along my information. William J. Acres, Lender411's number ONE lender in Arizona. 480-287-5714 WilliamAcres.com NMLS# 226347

You maybe able to work with this issue using conventional lending with your name on the loan.

Most likely it would be an issue for a joint application, it possibly would show up on the title work if not on your credit. How that would be seen by an underwriter will depend on the type loan you are doing, whether it is a lien or judgment and and amount owed. Possibly it could be paid as a condition of approval - you can also ask for a full a "credit" approval from the lender to make sure. Good luck