Tax Lien Questions to Ask Assessors

Questions for the County Tax Authority
1. Who handles tax liens for the county (Treasurer, Sheriff, Tax Assessor)?
2. Does the county use tax lien certificates or tax deeds?
3. How often are tax sales held?
4. When is the next auction?
5. Where will the tax sale be held? (get the street address, building name, floor
and room number)
6. Where is public notice of tax liens posted (does the county publish a list, will
it be published in a newspaper)?
7. Does the auction take place in one day or over several days?
8. What method of payment is required?
9. Is it possible to buy tax liens through the mail?
10. If all the liens are not sold at auction, do you sell them daily over the
counter?
11. How does the foreclosure proceed if the property owner fails to redeem
the property?
a. Who pays for the foreclosure?
b. When can the foreclosure procedure begin?
c. Does the foreclosure go through a public auction?
d. Do all lien holders need to be notified before foreclosure?
e. What kind of deed is given in foreclosure?
f. Can this type of deed eligible for title insurance?
g. Are all other liens removed from auction and sale?
12. What interest rate or penalty must be paid on a tax lien (your income)?
13. Can a person be put on a mailing list to get future notices of tax liens?
14. Are there tax liens available for purchase today?
15. At the tax lien sale, what are you bidding on? (In some states, you bid the
interest rates down, in others you bid the purchase price up, in a few you
bid on the percentage of the property that the lien applies to).
16.Is there a redemption period and how long is it?