How to Find Tax Foreclosure Homes

Local, state and federal tax authorities may place homes in foreclosure, seize ownership of them and sell them when the homeowner cannot pay property or income taxes, according to real estate trendwatcher RealtyTrac. Most government offices allow homeowners an opportunity to pay back taxes plus fines and interest, but homeowners who cannot make restitution to the government for taxes owed will find their homes foreclosed upon, vacated and sold. Rely on three types of resources to find tax foreclosure homes.

Instructions

1. Use local government resources. City and county governments post information about tax foreclosure properties on government websites, in government offices and in newspapers. Finding the information can occasionally be challenging, though, since some governments sell properties through auctions, while others advertise sales in real estate listings. Contact your local or county tax administrator's office or the office that handles real property transactions as a starting point. In many cases, your local sheriff's office will post tax foreclosure homes and host auctions of foreclosed properties -- call the sheriff's administrative telephone number and ask for information about listings. If your local government publishes all listings in the newspaper or on a specific website, office staff there can direct you appropriately so you can find tax foreclosure homes.

2. Explore resources published by the federal government. Federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, publish listings of tax foreclosure properties and offer searchable databases through web portals built to advertise these homes. The Internal Revenue Service also publishes a directory of tax foreclosure auctions that it holds in cities across the country. Federal government resources provide details about each foreclosed home, including geographical location, square footage, lot size and sale price. Properties available only at auction will include the minimum bid the government will accept as well as time and location of the government auction.

3. Rely on real estate resources and professionals. Associations that represent real estate professionals publish tool kits, such as the National Association of Realtors' Foreclosure Field Guide, that can help you find tax foreclosure homes and navigate the process to buy a foreclosed property. Trend watcher RealtyTrac publishes a web portal that helps consumers find tax foreclosures through searchable directories, tip sheets and links to other real estate organizations. Talk to a local Realtor, or stop by your neighborhood real estate agent's office, and ask about tax foreclosure properties. Because local real estate professionals are intimately familiar with the neighborhoods in your community, they will likely be aware of homes that the government seized for nonpayment of taxes. They will also have tips and advice on how to place a bid on foreclosed homes and how to expedite the process.

References

• Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office: Foreclosure Sales
• Office of the Sheriff, County of DuPage: Foreclosure Sales
• National Association of Realtors: Field Guide to Foreclosure
• U.S. Department of the Treasury: IRS Auctions
• Durham County Government: Property Tax Foreclosure Auction FAQ
• Realty Trac: Foreclosure Center

Resources

• HomeSales.gov: Real Estate Portal