An online auction to sell real estate? Maybe it will catch on!

Gone are the days of the quick talking auctioneer, paddles and shouted bids. Today, San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister announced he is moving the annual property tax sale auction online.

“With this new system, people sitting at home can browse and bid on more than 1,600 properties currently available, including timeshares starting at $900,” said McAllister. “The online auction aligns with our ‘e-nitiative’ to make it easier and more efficient to do all business with us electronically.”

The online tax sale auction will take place May 5-10. Interested buyers can register as a bidder beginning April 5, and registration will end April 27. Bidders must put up a $1,000 advance and a nonrefundable $35 bid processing fee.

“Moving this tax sale online will cut our operation costs compared to a live auction,” said McAllister. “We also hope to sell more properties as we open the auction up to bidders outside the San Diego region – even around the world.”

All sales are final, so this is a buyer beware sale. Before April, the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office (TTC) encourages everyone to research the selection of available properties by clicking here.

Right now, there are about 1,600 parcels available, roughly four times the number we have put up for auction in previous years. The majority – 1,231 – are timeshares, many with minimum bids as low as $900.

The remaining 393 parcels are improved and unimproved properties, 39 of which have owners living in them. Owners of the for-sale properties can redeem them by paying owed taxes and fees until 5 p.m. on May 4. Over the past five years, TTC notices and late bills to these owners have not been responded to. In early April, each of the properties will be personally contacted by TTC staff who will warn them of the impending sale.

The TTC has not held a tax sale auction since 2015, and on average, sales have generated more than $1.1 million each year.

http://www.sdtreastax.com/content/ttc/en/press-releases/Tax-Sale-Auction-Moves-Online.html.html