Tax sale guides
Plain-English guides for buying at county tax sales. Start at the top if you're new.
What is a tax sale? Liens and deeds explained
Why counties sell tax liens and tax deeds, and how the two differ for buyers.
How tax lien certificates work
What you're buying at a lien sale, how you get paid, and what happens if the owner never pays.
How tax deed sales work
Buying the property itself at a county auction, from opening bid to recording your deed.
Preparing for your first tax sale
A step-by-step checklist from picking a county to sale day.
Researching a property before you bid
The free checks that catch most bad tax sale buys.
Redemption periods and what they mean for you
How long owners have to pay you back, and why that clock matters for liens and deeds.
Online vs. in-person tax auctions
How each format works, and what changes for you as a bidder.
Deposits, registration and payment
What counties usually ask for before and after you bid, and how to avoid losing your deposit.
The real risks of buying at tax sales
What can go wrong, and how careful buyers limit it.
Bid-down, premium and rotational bidding
The main ways tax sales award liens and deeds, and how each one affects your return.
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