The 12-point tax sale due diligence checklist

1Pull the parcel on the county GIS map

Look at the actual shape and location. Slivers, drainage strips, and landlocked fragments hide behind normal-sounding legal descriptions. If the parcel looks strange on the map, assume there’s a reason.

2Confirm legal road access

A lot with no road frontage and no recorded easement can be nearly worthless — you may not even be able to walk to it legally. Check the GIS map and plat for access.

3Check flood zone and wetlands layers

FEMA flood maps and county wetland layers are free. Flood-zone or wetland coverage can kill buildability and resale value — and it’s the most common trap on cheap vacant land.

4Verify zoning and minimum lot size

A residential lot smaller than the zoning minimum may be unbuildable. Call the county zoning office or check the code — ask specifically whether the parcel is a legal buildable lot.

5Look up the property appraiser record

Structures, land use code, assessed value history. A demolished house sometimes still shows as “improved” — or the reverse. Cross-check with recent aerial/street imagery.

6Establish real market value from comparable sales

Assessed value is for taxes, not pricing. Pull 3–5 recent sales of similar parcels nearby. If you can’t find comps, that itself is a warning about liquidity.

7Research liens that may survive the sale

Municipal code enforcement liens, demolition liens, utility assessments, and some government claims can survive a tax sale depending on state law. Search the county records for the parcel and address.

8Check for HOA or condo association

Associations can mean ongoing dues, use restrictions, and (state-dependent) claims that complicate your exit. Condo units at tax sale deserve double scrutiny.

9Read the county’s auction rules for this specific sale

Deposit requirements, payment deadlines (often 24 hours or less), buyer premiums, and registration cutoffs vary county by county. Missing a payment deadline can forfeit your deposit.

10Know the redemption rules before you bid

In lien states and redeemable-deed states, the owner may pay you off instead of you keeping the property. Know the period, the payoff, and your obligations during it.

11Budget the full post-auction cost

Quiet title action, recording fees, cleanup, holding taxes, insurance, and resale costs. Add them BEFORE setting your maximum bid — use the calculators to work backward from market value.

12Set a maximum bid in writing — and stop there

Auction fever is how beginners lose. Run the Maximum Bid Calculator, write the number down, and do not exceed it for any reason. There is always another auction.