Losing your house to tax sale?

If you don’t pay your property taxes (or other municipal charges such as a sewer or water bill), the past-due amount becomes a lien on your home. All states have laws that allow the local government to then sell your home through the tax lien process to collect the delinquent taxes.

In Lake and Porter county Indiana, the taxing authority (usually the county) does not have to go to court before holding a tax sale. Instead, the process is often started when the taxing authority files a list of delinquent taxes (including information about the taxpayer, the property, and the amount due) with the recorder’s office and publishes a copy in the newspaper. The homeowner typically receives personal notice of the pending tax sale.

The county gives you a notice and deadline for which all delinquent taxes and penalties must be paid by. If you are unable to pay this amount the county will hold an auction type sale and sell the rights to your lien. The winning bidder does not outright by your home only the rights to the lien. You then still have a chance to pay off the taxes and additional costs incurred by the county and winning bidder. Depending on the situation you would have anywhere from 4 months to 1 year from the sale date to redeem your property.

The time frame that the county gives homeowners to pay back the property taxes and fees AFTER the sale is called the redemption period. If a homeowner is unable to pay these costs yet again during the redemption period it generally doesnt turn out to good for the home owner. After the redemption period has passed the winner of the auction can be granted a tax deed to the home granting that person ownership of the property.

We have helped many Lake County and Porter County Indiana residents save their home before losing it all together. Feel free to call us and see how we can help you before its too late. Call us today at 219-239-1233