Pend Oreille County Tax Foreclosure Information
1. In 2009, the properties subject to foreclosure are those on which the 2006 and prior years are delinquent. The grace period is three full years not including the current year. NOTE: It does not matter if the 2007, 2008, or 2009 taxes are paid. It is not when there are three years of taxes past due but when one year's tax is three full years or more past due that foreclosure begins.
2. The Treasurer's office does not maintain a mailing list to notify people of each year's tax foreclosure sale. However, if you send in a stamped, self-addressed envelope we will send a list of the property in foreclosure about 30 days prior to the sale. In addition, a list will be published in the Newport Miner.
3. Tax certificates or deeds of any nature are not sold by the county.
4. If you obtain a list of foreclosure properties from us, remember that you will need to periodically delete those accounts that were paid since your list was printed. Parcels may be redeemed from foreclosure at any time up to 4:30 p.m. the day before the auction. Therefore, we do not know what will be in the sale until the morning of the auction.
5. There is no redemption period after the sale except in cases where the owner on the day of the sale was either a minor child or a person adjudicated to be legally incompetent. In those cases, there is a three year redemption period.
6. This is a "Buyer Beware" sale. All sales are final. Properties are sold on a "where is" and "as is" basis. The county makes no representation of warranty, expressed or implied, as to the condition of the title to any property, nor the physical condition of any property or its fitness for any use or purpose.
7. All research must be done by the interested party. Normally this would include checking maps in the Assessor's office and doing research through the public computer terminal. An on-site inspection should also be made. Just because a property looks desirable on the map does not mean it actually is. The map does not show the topography such as ravines, hills, slopes, etc., nor does the map show what is on the property (dense growth, swamp, boulders, etc.). Some properties may be private roads covered by easements for ingress and egress. Easements are not extinguished by the foreclosure sale but remain with the land. Some properties may be subject to use restrictions and covenants set up in the original plat. The county makes NO GUARANTEES whatsoever on parcels sold at Treasurers' sales.
8. It is up to you to know exactly what you are bidding on. We do not overturn a sale and refund the purchase price because a bidder did not know what they were bidding on, nor because they did not understand the legal description.
9. Do not count on buying a house at the foreclosure auction. Normally, owners of improved properties subject to tax foreclosure will redeem the property before the sale, often at the last minute. Most houses that are foreclosed on have delinquent loans held by banks, mortgage companies, or other lenders. We do not have information on these lending agency foreclosures.
10. Properties which are not sold to the public at the auction are sold to Pend Oreille County. These parcels are thereafter called "Tax Title Properties". The County has the option of offering Tax Title Properties for sale at a future date after the foreclosure sale with proper application by interested parties. For information regarding Tax Title Properties, call the Pend Oreille County Commissioners' office or the Pend Oreille County Treasurer's office.
11. As real estate taxes are in the first lien position, the tax foreclosure extinguishes all other encumbrances including but not limited to Deeds of Trust, mortgages, contracts, liens, judgments and other similar items. Pend Oreille County cannot make any guarantees that the prior lien holders will honor these extinguishments. If prior lien holders attempt to collect on their liens after the property has been foreclosed, it is entirely up to the new owner to defend against these claims. However, any Local Improvement Assessments (LID's) remain and become the obligation of the buyer. Also, Internal Revenue liens remain.
The Tax Foreclosure Auction
1. The minimum bid includes what is owing to the County for the tax, interest, penalties and foreclosure costs.
2. Bidding must be done in person, not by phone or mail. This is an open oral auction, not a sealed bid auction.
3. Payment must be made by cashier's check, money order or cash. NO OTHER FORMS OF PAYMENT WILL BE ACCEPTED INCLUDING PERSONAL CHECKS, BUSINESS CHECKS, CREDIT CARD CHECKS, LETTERS OF CREDIT, OR SIMILAR ITEMS. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY.
4. Each parcel is sold to the highest and best bidder. Once a parcel is sold, the successful bidder has 30 minutes from the time the last parcel is sold to pay in full. If payment is not made as required, the parcel is re-auctioned at the minimum bid. A successful bidder who does not pay will not be allowed to bid on any other parcels at the auction. Most people make prior arrangements with a local bank to have funds available prior to the sale.
If you have any questions or need further information, contact the Pend Oreille County Treasurer's office at (509) 447-3612
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