Anybody have experience with online tax deed auctions? Our county is holding a seminar next week to teach the process prior to holding a sale in April. I was thinking of attending and maybe buying some, but I don't want to spin my wheels chasing ghosts.

I have done 2, both worked out good but you want to know the redemption period and the process to get the interior possession because the people living there will have an imaginary agreement that is null after this sale. In my cases the owners could not recover the place but you need to know the interest rate allowed if they want to try plus the fees from the recorder and sheriff staff. Take the time to attend classes.

Around here they do this in August county by county. They hold these auctions at motel event rooms and these typically draw 100-200 people. Maybe 15 percent are real bidders, the rest just lookers or neighbors who want to get adjoining lots.

Many lots are worthless due to lot size, contamination, and other problems(I almost bought one near Palmdale, CA once that had the San Andreas fault running right through the middle of it. There, if a fault is on your property you can't build within 50 feet of it. So the lot was unbuildable. Fortunately I checked and found it out and did not buy.) I'm Michihan, I looked at one that had lots of contamination buried on it. Again I found out and passed. Here you are right, old mobiles on lots can go for a couple thousand. Most need massive work. Also, titled here are not clear and it costs about $1500+ to clear one. I'm addition, if the title to the mobile has not been merged with the land, the mobile is NOT included with the land and you have to take extra steps to get that title but it can be done.

LTD

Tax sale auctions are not for everyone. However I have found a sure fire way to buy at the live auctions. Haven’t done any on line ones as we do not have such a thing around here that I know of.

To get a property just rise your hand or bidders card when the auction starts and when the auction is over take your hand down. You WILL have bought a property – maybe more than one.

So much for my intelligent advice.

I love going to the tax sale auctions. I have sold several properties that I have got at the auctions but still have around 60 or so.

Bidding prices and selling prices go all over the place. I have bought at a low price of $250 and sold it for $500 after I found out what I had bought. I was about ready to pay someone to take it off my hands. On the other side of the coin I have paid around $3,800 for a property and am selling it for $65,000. All I have done to this house is replace a storm door and cut the grass a few times.

Not as much fun as going to the beach but to each their own.

Thanks Mike and Ken, good stuff to know. This could be interesting, our county covers both sides of the Grand Canyon. It's really gorgeous up on the north side. Sure would be a hoot to pick up some land up there. I trained security guards for the county and a couple of uranium mines up there a few years ago.

Hi Richard, you definitely know what you're talking about. I'm one of those neighbors who wants to get an adjoining lot. Unfortunately my county had the online auction for tax liens last month, and somebody else bought the lien for $10. The lot in question is just land, and may or may not be something that can be built on based on rumors from neighbors.

Hi Richard, you definitely know what you're talking about. I'm one of those neighbors who wants to get an adjoining lot. Unfortunately my county had the online auction for tax liens last month, and somebody else bought the lien for $10. The lot in question is just land, and may or may not be something that can be built on based on rumors from neighbors.