Tax Sale
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List of Properties approved for sale
The list of properties to be offered for sale at public auction is available each year
in early December. The Tax Collector does
not maintain a mailing list for notifying people about the public auction. If you are
interested in obtaining the list of properties, check this website during the first week
of December. In addition, be sure to read the
Public Auction Information (PDF format)
document for the most current instructions for purchasing property at The Sacramento
County, Tax Collector's tax-defaulted property public auction.
Properties on the public auction list may not be offered at the public auction.
Properties may be redeemed, removed, or purchased by a local government entity, or
removed for technical reasons prior to the auction date. A list of removed properties is updated
on a regular basis between the time list is approved and the public auction date. Please check the
Removed Items (PDF format) and
Postponed Items (PDF format)
on a regular basis during this period of time. After the public auction, a list of
items that were offered (PDF format) will be available.
You may view the following lists online:
Auction List (PDF format)
and a list of properties being offered together,
Lots (PDF format) .
If you would like to purchase a copy of the list from the Tax Collector's Office,
it will be available from the Tax Collector's Office for $5.25 at the
counter, or $6.25 through the mail. If you would like a list to be mailed
to you, please send a check for the cost of the list and postage to the
Sacramento County Tax Collector, Tax-Defaulted Land Unit, 700 H Street,
Room 1710, Sacramento, CA 95814. If you would like to be notified when the next list will be available  e-Subscribe for property tax sale notifications
List of properties Removed from the tax sale.
Properties on the public auction list may not be offered at the public auction. Properties may be redeemed,
removed, or purchased by a local government entity, or removed for technical reasons prior to the auction date.
A list of removed properties is updated on a regular basis between the time the list is approved and the public
auction date. Please check the
Removed Items (PDF format) and
Postponed Items (PDF format)
on a regular basis during this period of time. If you would like to be notified when the next list will be available e-Subscribe for property tax sale notifications
How do I get information on your tax sales?
The Sacramento County, Tax Collector's tax-defaulted land public auction
is normally held the last Monday in February of each year. Please read
carefully the attached Public
Auction Information (PDF format) for further information regarding
Sacramento County's tax sale.
For additional information regarding the public auction,
you may contact our Tax-Defaulted Land Unit at (916) 874-6621.
When is the next tax sale?
Sacramento County public auction tax sales are held the last Friday in February each year. Properties not sold
or postponed from the February public auction are normally offered at public auction the second Monday in May.
You will need to read carefully the attached Public Auction Information (PDF format) for further information
regarding Sacramento County's tax sale.
How do I register to Bid at a tax sale?
All prospective bidders must register in order to bid at tax-defaulted land sales.
Registration will open at 8:00 a.m. at the Public Auction facility and registration will
close at the scheduled beginning time of the public auction. For more information please
read the Public Auction Information (PDF format)
. Please bring the completed
registration form (PDF format) with you to the public auction. We will require a valid picture
identification at the time of registration (i.e., valid driver's license, valid California
ID card, valid military ID card). To determine how much money to bring, please refer to
"How to Pay for Properties Purchased at the Tax Sale" in the Public Auction Information.
A bidder number will be issued at the time of registration and is required to participate
at the public auction. If you require special accommodations at the public auction site,
please contact the Tax-Defaulted Land Unit at (916) 874-6621 a minimum of two weeks prior
to the public auction date.
Can I bid at the scheduled Sealed Bid Sale?
No. Sealed Bid Sales are not open to the general public. Sealed Bid properties are
only offered to owners of properties that are adjoining the Sealed Bid property, or
owners of easements on the Sealed Bid property.
How can I buy a tax certificate?
We do not sell tax certificates.
Can I mail in or submit a sealed bid for a property in the public auction?
No. The public auction requires the presence of you or your representative, to verbally bid on the properties.
Can I obtain a property available at the tax sale by paying the delinquent taxes on it prior to the tax sale date?
No. Legal title to tax-defaulted property subject to the tax collector's power to sell can be obtained only by being the successful bidder at the tax sale.
How do I find or see a property I'd like to bid on at the tax sale?
The approximate geographic location can be determined through the use
of County Assessor plat maps available from the
County Assessor's Office at 3701 Power Inn Road, Suite 3000, Sacramento,
CA 95826, telephone: (916) 875-0700. Exact boundary lines of a property
can be determined only by a survey of the property initiated at the purchaser's
expense. Properties with structures usually (but not always) have a street
address.
Why are properties removed from the Public Auction?
Properties may be removed for various reasons, including, but not limited to:
payment of the delinquent taxes, bankruptcy filings, and problems with the
notification to parties of interest in compliance with Revenue and Taxation Code
section 3701.
When does the property owner's right to redeem (pay in full) a tax-defaulted parcel subject to the power to sell cease?
The right of redemption ceases at the close of business on the last business day prior to the tax sale.
How can I determine what use I can make of a tax sale property before I purchase it?
Consult the zoning department of any city within which a property lies or the zoning
section of the County Department of Planning and Community Development for a parcel
in an unincorporated area (not within a city boundary). Examine the County Recorder's
records for any recorded easements on a property. You can also order a title search
report from a local title insurance company.
How can I find out what liens are on the property?
Lien information can be obtained by contacting the Sacramento County Clerk Recorder.
The Recorder is located at: 600 8th St., Sacramento, CA 95814. Their phone number is:
(916) 874-6334. Additional information on liens can be obtained in the
Auction Information Packet (PDF format).
What happens to liens on the property after it is sold at a Tax Sale?
Pursuant to Section 3712 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, tax deeds convey
title to the purchaser free of all prior encumbrances (mortgage liens,
judgment creditors, etc.) of any kind EXCEPT liens specified
by Section 3712, Lis Pendens actions and any Federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) liens
that, pursuant to provisions of federal law, are not discharged by the
sale, even though the Tax Collector has provided proper notice to the
Internal Revenue Service before that date. (IRS liens will be announced
at the time of the tax sale.) You will need to research liens on the properties
to determine if the properties are encumbered with foreclosed or unforeclosed
street debt, irrigation assessments, income tax liens, etc. Payment of
the bid amount at a tax-defaulted public auction may or may not discharge
these types of obligations. For additional information, please refer to
the Auction Information Packet (PDF
format).
How soon can I take possession of a property that I purchase at the tax sale?
You should consult an attorney. Generally, the successful bidder may take
possession of a property after making payment in full and complying with
any conditions set forth by the Tax Collector in the tax deed if there
were any.
How long do I have to wait to improve or sell the property?
It is recommended to delay any improvement on the property for a
one-year period from the date the tax deed is recorded. The owner
and/or a lienholder has one year to initiate proceedings to challenge
the validity or irregularity of the tax sale.
What happens if someone is living in the property after the property is sold at a Tax Sale?
The property owner or tenants may occupy properties on the auction list. Prior to the
tax sale, bidders do NOT have a right to trespass or enter any property listed for
sale at the public auction. The Tax Collector's Office has not inspected the property
and cannot provide information regarding the size, condition, or specifications of the
structure and property. Sacramento County does not own the property and does not have
access to the property as in private real estate transactions. Properties sold at tax
sale that are occupied become a civil matter between the occupant and the owner. This
may be a tenant and landlord relationship or if the purchaser requests the occupants
to leave and has any difficulty, contact the Sheriff's Civil Division for instructions.
How is the minimum price determined on a property offered at a tax sale?
State law dictates that the minimum price for a tax-defaulted parcel
offered at a public auction for the first time shall be no less than
the total amount necessary to redeem the parcel, plus costs. The Tax
Collector may reoffer property at a reduced price at the same or next
scheduled sale if no bid was received when the property was last
offered for sale at public auction.
How will title in the tax deed to the purchaser be vested?
Title is vested in the name of the actual purchaser. If title is to
be vested differently, we require a notarized letter from the
individual for whom the bidder is acting as an agent, stating the
manner in which title is to be vested. If the bidder represents a
company, corporation or partnership, the bidder will need to provide
certified copies of the documentation that gives the bidder the
authority to register/vest on their behalf.
What happens to the properties that receive no bid (are not sold) at the public auction?
Any property, for which no bid is received at the time it is first
offered, will be reoffered at the end of the sale. If it remains
unsold at the conclusion of the tax sale, the owner's right of
redemption is reinstated and they remain the legal owner of record.
The property may be offered for sale at the next scheduled sale. The
Tax Collector may reoffer property at a reduced price at the same or
next scheduled sale if no bid was received.
Can I buy property that did not sell at public auction?
No. The property cannot be sold outside of the Tax Sale Process.
What happens if I am the highest bidder, and I do not pay in full?
If the successful bidder does not complete payment of a credit sale by 5:00 p.m. on
the Friday following the public auction, or pay in full at the Tax Sale, the sale will
be void, any right to the property and the deposit will be forfeited, and the property
will be re-offered at the next scheduled public auction. The County shall have a
claim against the Purchaser for the actual cost of auction for that property, and the
purchaser may be banned from bidding at the Sacramento County Public Auction for a
period of five years. The deposit will not be refunded.
Some of the above information is in PDF format
which can only be viewed using the Adobe
Acrobat® Reader
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