Tax FAQs
FAQs
You must register before each tax sale. You will have to sign an Affidavit stating that you are not delinquent in any of your taxes. See the Affidavit/registration form for specific information.
We do not accept registrations on the morning of the sales, except with prior approval.
We do not accept registrations on the morning of the sales, except with prior approval.
The Upset and Judicial sales are advertised in the Kane Republican and the Bradford Era one month before the sale.
The acreage and location is available through the Assessment office. You may also purchase a map book from the Assessment office.
Minimum bids are set for each property. Minimum for Upset sale properties is the total balance due of unpaid tax, plus the current year taxes. Any unpaid municipal liens are added at settlement at the conclusion of the sale. Judicial sale minimum bids start at costs only. Upset and Judicial sales are a live auction. Auction bidding may be competitive due to the number of interested buyers. Properties are sold to the highest bidder. After the sale, bidders return to the Tax Claim Office to pay for their purchases. See sale information for type of payments accepted and additional fees.
All sales are final and no refunds will be made after the sale. After Upset sale, the former owner has 30 days during which they can contest the sale. If contested, the Court will render a decision concerning ownership of the property.
The Tax Claim Bureau conveys its taxable interest. The Bureau does not provide clear title nor will it assist the Purchaser in obtaining clear title to any property purchased at sale. It is strongly urged that you have a professional examination made of the title. These properties are offered for sale by the Bureau without any guarantee or warranty whatsoever as to structure upon the land, liens, title or any other matter. In many occasions the land may not be included with the structure or structure for sale without land. The Bureau sells the property as described on the dockets in the Bureau and makes no representations or warranties as to the description, or even the existence of the property.
You will need to conduct a search in the Prothonotary’s office for liens and the Recorder of Deed’s office for mortgages on the property.
On the date of the sale you will receive a Receipt for purchase which shows you have purchased the property at the tax sale. You will not receive the Deed for several months as the Court must confirm the sale and the Deeds must be prepared, recorded by the Recorder of Deed’s Office and processed through the Assessment office. Immediately after the sale you should get insurance on the property, however, you should not do any work on the property until you have received the Deed.
If your property is listed for tax sale there are certain circumstances under which the statute allows for property owners to enter into a formal agreement to pay their delinquent taxes, however, there are many requirements that must be met and you may not qualify. You should call the office to see you can make payments before assuming you can. If you do not qualify for an agreement, you should call the Tax Claim Office as soon as possible to see if they can help you.
Yes, many people are shocked when their homes are sold at a tax sale. You do not have until the end of business on the day of the sale to pay your taxes. The last opportunity you have to pay your taxes is at the close of business on the most recent business day before the sale. Sales are usually held on Monday morning at 9 a.m. You MUST pay your taxes by Friday at 4:15 p.m. or your house will be offered for sale. On-line payments on any property will not be allowed for the week before the sale.