Property sold at tax sale

Escambia County (Ala.) Tax Collector Tim Pettis said all 161 parcels of land that were on the delinquent tax rolls were sold Monday and Tuesday in the county's first venture into an on-line tax lien sale.

Instead of publishing the delinquent tax notices in newspapers, Escambia County joined other counties in doing the sale on-line. Under the process, bidders didn't bid on the cost of the property itself, but bid on interest rates for the property. Pettis said the average interest rate bid was 1.52 percent with some parcels being sold at 0 percent.

Pettis said 154 parcels sold Monday when the on-line auction opened and the other seven were purchased Tuesday. He added the sale generated about $45,000 in tax revenue for the county, cities and state that share in ad valorem taxes.

People who had their property sold at the tax sale have three years to come to the tax collector's office to redeem their property. Pettis said payment to redeem property sold in the sale will have to be by certified check, cash or money order.

He said people redeeming property sold at the sale will pay the back taxes, plus the interest on the bid and a $10 redemption fee.

Pettis said there were 41 bidders who participated in the sale with interest rates bid from 12 percent to 0 percent for the 1.52 percent average.

People who purchased property through the on-line sale will receive a tax lien certificate for the property. If a property owner comes to the tax collector's office to redeem the property, the person or corporation that purchased the property will be required to surrender the tax lien certificate before receiving their money.

“Being the first year we've tried the on-line sale I thought it went real well,” Pettis said. “But I give all the credit to my Chief Clerk Shirley Watson and the rest of my staff. They did an outstanding job.”