What happens when a property owner fails to pay taxes?

When a property owner fails to pay taxes, the process typically leads to the property being auctioned through a tax deed. This means that the government, usually at the county level, takes legal action against the property for the unpaid taxes. After a specific period of delinquency, if the taxes remain unpaid, the local government places a lien on the property and ultimately may initiate a tax deed sale. During this sale, interested buyers can bid on the property, and the highest bidder can gain ownership.

This process serves to recover the unpaid taxes while also reintegrating the property into the market. It is important to understand that an auction is often the most common outcome in such scenarios, rather than an automatic sale to the state or direct fines imposed on the owner. Other options like putting the property up for public notice generally occur earlier in the process, but ultimately, when taxes remain unpaid, the auctioning of the property is the conclusive step to resolve the tax delinquency.