Tax sale due diligence
Pick an official tax sale list and get a flag sheet, per parcel, of the debts the public record shows that can outlive the sale, with the rule that decides it. New York City lots are checked for federal tax liens, unpaid ECB penalties and past-due city charges; for the other lists each debt type is marked “not searched” with its statute. Free to use; CSV and PDF.
What it is and is not
A records check of official government records, parcel by parcel; not a title search, a title opinion or legal advice. People's names never appear on the sheet. Where a record cannot be retrieved, the sheet says so for that parcel rather than reporting nothing found. The lists themselves, with sale dates and opening bids, are on the tax sale lists pages.
Questions
Which debts survive a tax sale?
It depends on the state. In Florida no interest survives a tax deed except liens of record held by a municipal or county government, special district or community development district that the sale proceeds do not satisfy (Fla. Stat. 197.552). A federal tax lien filed more than 30 days before a nonjudicial sale survives it unless the IRS got notice of the sale under 26 U.S.C. 7425(c)(1); even when discharged, the United States can redeem real property within 120 days. A New York City lien sale does not sell the property at all, so nothing on it is discharged.
What does the check search?
For New York City lots: federal tax lien filings without a recorded release, unpaid city penalties, and past-due city charges on the property account. For the Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio and Arkansas lists, no public lien record can be matched to a parcel, so each debt type is marked NOT SEARCHED with the rule that applies; nothing is searched by owner name.
Does "not searched" mean there is no lien?
No. It means that debt cannot be matched to a parcel in that county. Liens recorded against the owner by name, HOA claims and judgments need a title search.
How many parcels can I check?
Up to 50 parcels a batch (or a list's first 50 by sale date), 5 batches an hour per connection. Results stay available for 24 hours as a page, a CSV and a PDF flag sheet.
Legal references: 26 U.S.C. 7425; Fla. Stat. 197.552.
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