Why does the County sell tax-defaulted property?
The primary purpose of a tax sale is to collect taxes that have not been paid by the property owner for at least five years. Offering property at public auction achieves this by either selling the property or by forcing payment of the property taxes. During those five years, the taxpayer has repeatedly been offered payment plans and still has the ability to keep the property until the day before the sale by paying the taxes in full. If the property is sold, lienholders and the former owner may claim proceeds in excess of the taxes and costs of the sale.
