Tax certificate sales normally are held once a year according to Florida statutes. That makes the second sale that’s about to kick off online highly unusual.
“Looking back at least 20 years, Volusia County has not had a second tax certificate auction,” said Volusia County Tax Collector Will Roberts. “This year is highly unusual and the result of legislation changes that extended the property tax deadlines for properties damaged from last year’s Hurricane Ian.”
The second 2023 Volusia County tax certificate sale opens July 14. Registrations and bids for the online auction may be submitted at LienHub.com/volusia. A list of real property with delinquent taxes has been posted on the site. The sale closes July 31.
This second sale is significantly smaller than the auction held in May, Roberts added. Approximately 150 tax certificates are expected to be available compared to nearly 14,000 offered in May.
In Volusia County, approximately 2,400 storm-damaged properties received tax payment extensions through the end of May. Unpaid accounts became delinquent June 1. Property owners received reminder notices mid-June of taxes due. Properties will be advertised three times this month beginning Friday, July 14.
Property owners with storm-associated damage who are delinquent on their property taxes may avoid the issuance of a tax certificate on their property by paying the taxes along with a 3% fee, advertising costs and the cost of the tax certificate sale by July 31. Once a tax certificate is sold on the property, the additional cost to the property owner could be as high as 18 percent per year.
A tax certificate represents a first-priority tax lien on real property. It does not convey title to the land. Tax certificates are investments and not a deed to the property.
Certificate buyers need to be aware that there are inherent risks involved with buying tax certificates. Those risks are borne solely by the certificate holder.
Once a tax lien or certificate is recorded on the property and the taxes remain unpaid after the tax lien sale for two years, the tax certificate holder may start the tax deed sale process. The property could be sold at auction to the highest bidder.
For more information on tax certificates, please visit vctaxcollector.org/taxes or call the Volusia County Tax Collector at 386-736-5938.
