Learn before you bid
Tax sale investing guides
Start with the core concepts, then go deep on the deed buyer's hardest problem: valuing a parcel before the auction. Every guide is written plainly and points back to the county rules that apply.
Start here
New to tax sales? These cornerstones cover what you are buying and how a sale runs.
Tax Lien vs Tax Deed: What You're Actually Buying
A tax lien earns you interest; a tax deed can hand you the property. Here is the core difference, how each sale works, and which one fits your goal.
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Beginner's Guide to Tax Sale Investing
New to tax sales? How counties sell delinquent taxes, what you can earn, the real risks, and a sensible path to your first lien or deed deal.
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Due Diligence Before a Tax Sale: How to Value a Parcel Before You Bid
The deed buyer’s biggest risk is a sight-unseen parcel. The access, title, zoning, and condition checklist that separates a bargain from a write-off.
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How Florida Tax Sales Work
Florida runs two tax sales: annual lien certificates by the Tax Collector and tax deed auctions by the Clerk. The full cycle under F.S. Chapter 197.
Read guideCore concepts
The mechanics that decide your return: the redemption clock and the bidding format.
Redemption Periods Explained
The redemption period sets how long owners have to buy back a lien or deed, and it drives your yield and timeline. How it works and why it varies by state.
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Bidding Methods Explained: Bid-Down, Premium, Rotational, and Sealed
Tax sales use four auction formats. How bid-down-interest, premium bid, rotational, and sealed bid work, and how each changes what you should pay.
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The Risks of Tax Lien and Tax Deed Investing
An honest look at the real risks of tax lien and tax deed investing: worthless parcels, tied-up capital, title problems, and bid-down returns.
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Tax Deed vs Foreclosure: What Is the Difference?
How a tax deed sale differs from a mortgage foreclosure and a sheriff sale: who runs each, what triggers it, what you get, and what survives.
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Realistic Tax Lien Returns: What You Actually Earn
Why advertised tax lien rates (18 to 36 percent) are not what you earn. How bid-down auctions, redemption timing, and costs shape realistic returns.
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Ways to put capital to work once you know the basics.
Over-the-Counter Tax Liens (and Leftover Deeds)
Certificates and parcels nobody bought at auction, bought straight from the county with no bidding war. How OTC tax liens and lands-available lists work.
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Buying Tax Liens in a Self-Directed IRA
How to hold tax lien certificates in a self-directed IRA so interest grows tax-advantaged, plus the prohibited-transaction rules that trip people up.
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How to Find Tax Sale Property Lists
Where to find tax sale and delinquent property lists: free official county sources first, how to read them, and when a paid data tool is worth it.
Read guidePut it into practice
Open a county to see its sale calendar, auction platform, and rules, then use the guides to prepare.