Purpose of Tax Lien Sale

All property (real) taxes must be collected in order to meet the budget of all certified taxing authorities. Therefore, an annual Tax Lien Sale is held to collect the unpaid taxes. These taxes are purchased by investors who, in turn, earn interest on the tax liens against these properties. The amount of the individual tax lien(s) purchased includes the amount of tax, delinquent interest (November), advertising and certificate fee.

Three years following the date of Tax Lien Sale, an application for a Treasurer's Deed may be accepted from the tax lien holder if redemption of the lien is not received. The application process ranges from five to six months. All legally interested parties are given a 120-day redemption period to keep their interest in the property. Deed applications involve remittance of $500 deposit to cover fees for advertising, certified mailings, title searches, and miscellaneous legal fees. Please view the Treasurer Deed Procedure for Lien Holders (PDF).

Element of Risk

It is important to remember the element of risk involved in the purchase of tax liens. The purchase of tax sale liens of properties under the control of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) and those affected by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or property owner bankruptcy could possibly result in the loss of interest as could destruction of the property. It is impossible for this office to identify the potential problems in this area. Please conduct your own investigation to reduce the possibility of loss of interest to you.