Property Tax Sale FAQs
A tax sale is an “auction” conducted on property that has been foreclosed on due to unpaid property tax. Tax sales are primarily governed by Sec. 34 of the Texas Property Tax Code.
Tax sales are generally held two to three times a year and are advertised in the local newspaper for three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date of the sale. The notices usually appear in the classified section of the Sunday Orange Leader.
Tax sales may only be held on the first Tuesday of each month. Sales are held online @ orange.texas.sheriffsaleauctions.com, and begin at 10:00 am. Orange County tax sales are generally held two to three times a year.
The tax sale is a public auction and any member of the public is entitled to bid on properties that are offered.
No. You are not required to obtain a written statement in order to bid on property at a tax sale. A written statement is only required if a property is awarded to you at a tax sale.
A written statement is a statement obtained from the county Tax Assessor-Collector which states whether there are any delinquents taxes owed by the purchaser in the county. A written statement may be obtained by submitting the form, "Request for TAC Written Statement of Delinquent Taxes", to the county Tax Assessor-Collector. These statements expire on the 90 th day after the date of issuance. An officer conducting a tax sale may not execute or deliver a deed to the purchaser unless the purchaser exhibits to the officer an unexpired written statement.
Successful bidders are expected to pay for the property within 24 hours. Please refer to the online auction website for acceptable forms of payment.
There is no formal bidding process. Oral bids are made consecutively by whoever can raise the last bid made, the same as in auctions generally. All sales will be to the highest bidder. The officer begins by reading a description of the property then states the minimum opening bid and asks if there are any bids. Bidding will continue until no higher bid is offered.
The minimum opening bid varies from property to property. The minium opening bid is an amount that is equal to the lesser of the following: 1) the total amount of the taxing jurisdictions judgment including tax, penalty, interest, and court costs, or 2) the appraised value of the property appearing in the judgment.
Properties that do not sell at a tax sale are struck off as properties in trust to the county. These properties are eligible for bid through a 30-day sealed or an open bid process conducted by the tax assessor-collector. See Trust Property Sales for more information
You may obtain a listing of Trust Properties from the County Tax Assessor-Collector office.
The former owner of the property has a statutory right to redeem the property from the auction purchaser; however, they must meet very specific redemption requirements and time period in order to do so. The Right of Redemption is governed by Sec. 34.21 of the Texas Property Tax Code. We can not give any legal advice regarding this matter except to advise you to seek legal counsel if you are unsure of the redemption period applicable to the property and/or the amounts to which you are entitled upon redemption by the former owner.
All tax sale purchases are final and not subject to rescission due to the purchaser’s mistake or dissatisfaction with regards to the property.
