DeFuniak Springs, FL (June 27, 2016) – Tax Collector Rhonda Skipper held the annual tax certificate auction online for the eleventh consecutive year on June 1, attracting just over 31,278 bids and generating $3,663,540.60.
The tax collector’s online auction offered 3,724 tax certificates on parcels owned by individuals who owe delinquent property taxes. A sale of 3,023 parcels resulted, leaving 702 unpaid and assigned to the county at 18 percent interest, the highest possible interest allowed by law.
“This year the revenues from the sale are lower, but that is largely due to having 371 fewer delinquent properties available. Having fewer delinquent properties to include in the sale is certainly a positive. However, for those tax payers who continue to struggle to pay taxes, the sale is a benefit to them as well as local government, “said Skipper. “The sale provides the funds needed for taxing authorities to operate budgets as well as provides delinquent tax payers more time to pay their bill while trying to keep interest to a minimum by awarding the bid to the lowest bidder.”
For those persons still interested in investing in tax certificates, certificates struck to the county will be available for purchase online at www.walton.lienexpress.net on September 1. Those interested in purchasing county held certificates will be required to register online to obtain a bidder number, complete an IRS W-9 form, and pay the face amount of the tax certificate plus a $6.25 per certificate purchase fee. The county held certificates will be sold in a similar fashion to the “Buy It Now” feature on Ebay. Interested bidders should register at the sale site prior to September 1 to ensure all banking information is available upon the start of the sale.
The 2015 Tax Sale results will be available at the sale site, https://bidwalton.com, on July 1.
For additional information regarding the Tax Sale, please visit https://bidwalton.com or call 850.892.8121.