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Bidding Rules

Information on the Public Auction of Delinquent Real Property Tax Liens

Bidding Rules

Summary of Important Dates

 

Information on the Public Auction of Delinquent Real Property Tax Liens

The Tax Lien Public Auction is usually held around the first part of November. Buyers pay the total advertised price consisting of tax, interest to the date of public auction and an advertising fee. They also pay any premium bid. The person paying the highest amount is issued a Certificate of Purchase. This is a negotiable document representing a lien on the property. It is valid for 15 years. The buyer does not recover the premium paid over the starting amount. The certificate earns interest at the rate stated on the certificate with portions of calendar months considered as whole months.

A buyer list showing certificate numbers, parcel numbers and total paid will be provided to the taxpayer. Buyers are responsible for keeping adequate records. The Treasury Division is responsible for the public auction of the tax lien, immediate notification to buyers of redemptions and payment upon surrender of the redeemed certificate. (We will hold your certificate if you wish and provide copies to you.)

The redemption amount paid is the certificate amount (tax, interest, advertising, and fees), plus redemption interest. The annual redemption interest rate for each year’s public auction is established by adding 9% to the September 1st Federal Reserve discount rate. One twelfth of this rate accrues for each month or portion thereof. The September 2, 2019 discount rate was 0.75%. The redemption rate for certificates sold in November of 2022 will be 12%. Upon redemption, we notify the buyer to return their certificate for payment of the certificate face value plus accrued interest. If we are holding your certificate, a check will be mailed immediately.

After July 1st, buyers may pay the subsequent year’s unpaid taxes for endorsement onto their certificates. These payments earn the same rate of interest as does the original public auction.

If the property has not been redeemed after three years from the date of public auction, the buyer can apply for and receive a Treasurer’s Deed to the property. Buyers return their certificates to us and deposit expense money. After a title search, advertising, and notification of all interested parties, a Treasurer’s Tax Deed is issued if there has been no redemption.

Erroneous sales are paid interest at the rate of 2% above the discount rate rounded to the nearest full percent but no lower than 8%. The lower redemption interest rate is applicable to discoveries made after May 23, 1988 and can be applied to the entire certificate regardless of when the certificate was purchased.

If you wish to participate in our public auction, please notify us that you need a copy of the rules showing the date of the public auction and any details. Information will be mailed to you after September 1st. We furnish a copy of the list of parcels for sale at the time of the public auction.

The subject of Tax Lien Public Auctions, Deeds, Redemptions, etc., which are administered by County Treasurers, is covered by Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 39, Articles 11, and 12.

 

Bidding Rules - 2022 Practice County Tax Certificate Auction

In accordance with §39-11-115 (2) (c) and (d), C.R.S., minimum bids and bid increase increments are as follows:

Minimum bids: The minimum starting bid for each tax lien is equal to the amount of the unpaid taxes, interest, penalties, and fees (the tax lien face value).

Bid increments: Bid increments shall be One Hundred dollars ($100). Tax liens are awarded to the highest bidder, or in the event of a tie, the winner will be selected at random by the Auction Website, and the winning bid amount will equal the amount of the tie bid.

Tax liens will be grouped into batches and sold in one hour increments starting on Tuesday, November 14th, 2023, at 2:00 PM MT and concluding on Tuesday, November 14th, 2023, at 5:15 PM MT. Tax liens in each batch will be identified with a closing time.

Bids may be made starting Tuesday, October 10th, 2023, at 10:00 AM MT. Bids will be accepted for each tax lien until the batch containing it closes. The Auction Website stores the bids for each tax lien until the batch containing it closes. Prior to the closing of the batch, bidders may change or withdraw their bids. Once a batch closes, the bids become final and may not be changed or withdrawn.

Each winning bidder shall make a deposit of funds sufficient to cover the total amount of the bidder’s winning bids on the Auction Website no later than Thursday, November 14th, 2024, at 2:00 PM MT. If a winning bidder fails to make such a deposit by this time, the Treasurer may, at the Treasurer’s sole discretion, award the tax liens to another bidder or may offer the tax lien for sale. The Treasurer may prohibit a person, who fails to pay the amount due from bidding, from participating in any tax lien sales for up to five years in accordance with § 39-11-116, C.R.S.

The certificate of purchase issued on a successful bid will show the legal description, purchase amount, and buyer’s name (as entered in registration), interest rate, and date of sale. Buyers will be notified when their certificates are ready to be picked up. Practice County will keep them if the buyer wishes and provide copies.

Redemption interest is 12% per annum. If parcels are redeemed prior to delivery of certificates, redemption checks will be mailed to buyers and notations made on buyers’ lists of purchases.

Employees and officials of Practice County and members of their families are not allowed to purchase at the Public Auction.

       

       PLEASE NOTE!

  • Those investing in tax liens do so at their own risk and are advised to exercise due diligence in carefully analyzing which tax liens to bid on. There are no guarantees expressed or implied regarding whether a tax lien will prove to be a profitable investment.)

  • The property information accessible on the bid pages was obtained from the Assessor’s office prior to the start of the current auction and is for reference only (please note that this property information, provided by the Assessor’s office, represents the most current assessment year, not the tax year associated with this tax lien sale, as taxes are paid one year in arrears). It is the buyer’s responsibility to research auction items thoroughly prior to placing bids.

 

Summary of Important Dates

 

 

  Bidder Accounts  
  Allow foreign bidder registrations     Yes
  Single simultaneous bidder rule     No
 
  Auction Information  
  Bidding style     Proxy Bid Auction
  0 value bids use proxy system     No
 
  SubAccounts  
  Allow sub-accounts     No
  Automatic certificate rollup / rollup fee   --- ---
 
  Auction Dates and Times  
  Registration begins (site opens)**     10/10/2023 at 10:00 AM MT  
  Deposits, Registration fees and Budgets begin     10/10/2023 at 10:00 AM MT  
  Bidding begins     10/10/2023 at 10:00 AM MT  
 
  Deposits, Registration fees and Budgets end       11/14/2024 at 2:00 PM MT   
  Participation Requirements  

  Set a budget  
  Pay the registration fee  

 

  Participation Requirements Due Date     11/14/2024 at 2:00 PM MT   
  Registrations end     11/14/2024 at 2:00 PM MT   
   
  First batch closes     11/14/2023 at 2:00 PM MT   
  Batch closing interval     5 Minutes
  Last batch closes     11/14/2023 at 2:00 PM MT  
   
  Auxiliary batch opens     N/A  
  Auxiliary batch closes     N/A  
   
  Payment due date     11/15/2023 at 2:00 PM MT   
 
  Budget, Deposit and Payment Information    
  Deposit or Budget required (% of estimated winnings)     100%
  Minimum deposit amount     $0.00
  Registration Fee     $5,000.00
  Registration Fee Refundable      Yes
  Registration Fee Applied to Winnings      Yes
   
  Deposit / Payment types acceptable:   Deposits Payments
      Budget    Yes ---
      ACH    Yes No
      ACH auto-debit final payment    --- No
      Wire transfers   No Yes
      Counter payments   No No
 
  Redemptions available via ACH?   No
 
  Public Access  
  Public computers available  
 
  ** Subject to change. The site will open when approved by the County.  

 

For an explanation of any of the terms above, please visit the FAQs.