Texas Tax Lien Sales - Investing in a Tax Deed Sale Successfully!
Step 8 - Tier 2 C
Texas Tax Lien Sales - Sheriff Sale - Tax Deed Sales...
No matter
what you call them, the claims are always the same!
"Make More Money!" ... "Get Rich Quick!" ... "Cheap
Real Estate!"
Who
wouldn't want to jump on the bandwagon? But
before you put your hard earned money on the line, there are some things
you need to know!
The truth is, all of these phrases are enticing, but they can be more than
a little bit misleading. Texas tax lien sales CAN prove
to be very profitable, but they are not a “get rich quick scheme” and you must educate
yourself before plunging into purchasing Property Tax Foreclosures at a sale
or you will lose all your capital and may even end up owing additional money!
For example, not understanding the definition of a Foreclosure Redemption Period or being unaware
of the potential liabilities you may inherit from an IRS tax lien are just a
few of the pitfalls many buyers encounter! Whereas other websites only offer
generalities, this website offers both educational information and specific
information for your particular Texas County’s Tax Deed Sale including
addresses, phone numbers, website addresses, etc. This information is all that
you will need in order to effectively research potential properties and purchase
properties at Tax Sales.
What exactly are Texas Tax Lien Sales?
Basically,
they are auctions held by a county official, usually the Sheriff or Constable,
to sell properties
that have become delinquent on their local
property taxes and have been foreclosed on in the courts (a Property Tax Foreclosure).
They have a multitude of names including Tax Lien Sales, Constable Sales,
Property
Tax Sales and more, but they are all the same type of sale in Texas. The properties
at these sales are ordered to be sold by a court official. In Texas, even
though
you may hear of a sale referred to as a "Texas Tax Lien Sale", a buyer
is not buying a lien, but is actually buying the deed to a property at a Sheriff
Sale. Taxes leading to foreclosure can include property taxes, city taxes,
hospital
taxes and school taxes as well as city liens placed against the property by
the city (such as weed or mowing liens).
How does one go about purchasing a Texas Tax Foreclosure?
The basic steps to buying at Texas Tax Lien Sales are as follows:
Step 1 - Understand
the Property Tax Code - Understanding the laws governing the Sheriff Sale
is the first place to begin.
Find links to:
Sale of Property
Foreclosure Redemption Period
Distribution of Proceeds
Tax Sale Resale
Step 2 - Locate
your Tax Sale List - Locate and study the advertised properties for the
upcoming tax sale.
Find links to:
Law Firm Websites with Tax Sale Property Listings
County Websites with Tax Sale Property Listings
County Newspaper Links listing Tax Sale Properties
Step 3 - Research
Property Records - Research the properties using Google Earth and the public
Property Records to narrow prospects.
Step 4 - Evaluate
the Properties - When physically appraising the properties, use appraisal
checklists and the proper equipment.
Step 5 - Evaluate
the Real Estate Comparables - Identify comparables on other similar properties
for sale and rent.
Find links to:
Popular Websites for Real Estate Comparables
Step 6 - Analyze
the Data - Compare the properties, comparables, renovation costs, holding
costs and estimated sales cost to identify the best deal!
Step 7 - Register
to Bid - Register in your county to bid at the auction.
Step 8 - Funding
- Decide how you will fund your property purchase
Step 9 - Bidding Strategies - Bid at the auction and purchase a property.
Step 10 - Secure your Property- Secure the property that you purchased and
evaluate the needed repairs.
Step 11 - Filing the Property Deed - File the Sheriff's Deed at your
local tax office.
Step 12 - Discount Home Repair - Repair and update the property as necessary at minimal cost.
Step 13 - Rent or Sale the Property
Find links to:
My Own Experience with Mortgage Companies
If you follow these simple steps, you will be able to confidently bid and purchase
at a Texas Tax Lien Sales, potentially getting some very profitable properties.
Everyone has a tendency to want to skip over steps and rush into the auction
portion of this process, but unlike bank owned homes for sale, there are differences
in tax lien foreclosures such as redemption periods and exceptions to the rules
that can be extremely costly. I would caution anyone to carefully complete the
above steps before bidding at a sale.
As I build this website, I will expand on each of these steps with details
specifically relating to Texas Tax Foreclosure Sales at each county as well
as providing specific information regarding the Texas Property Tax Code. Please
check back frequently as these updates will be made often.
Best of luck in your endeavors!
Cindia Winspear
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