Tax Deed Auction FAQs

To bid on real property at a tax deed auction, you must:

1. Register for an online auction account at Sarasota County Official Tax Deed Sales
2. Deposit guaranteed funds

To register for an account, you will need to have the following items:

• Email address
• Current name and address
• Name in which the property will be deeded, if an auction is won
• Funding source

The auction website provides all the information you need to register for an account and learn about the auction process:

• Tax Deed Auction Sale Process
• Tax Deed Auction Platform Training Videos
• Tax Deed Auction Platform FAQs

All scheduled tax deed sales are listed on the auction calendar by case number.

From the Properties for Sale List, you can view running auctions, closed, and canceled auctions along with relevant property information such as Parcel ID, Notice of Application for Tax Deed, opening bid, and the Property Appraiser's assessment. Registered users can easily access the complete Tax Deed Record directly from the auction website.

Details about the auction process are provided at Sarasota Real Tax Deed Sales. You may also want to review the online auction system FAQs.

If you have questions on how to deed the property, you may want to consult an attorney.

Before the auction, you must designate the name under which you would like to take ownership of the property and provide a complete mailing address. Failure to ensure that complete and correct deeding information is designated before the sale may result in delays in recording your Tax Deed and additional fees.

A deposit of guaranteed funds is required before you can bid. For each property you intend to win, the amount you deposit must be the greater of:

• 5% of your maximum bid (for bids over $4,000.00); or
• $200.00 (for bids up to $4,000.00).

If you are the winning bidder, your deposit will be applied to the total cost of your purchase.

If you are not the winning bidder, you will be able to use your funds for other auctions or request a reimbursement.

You do not need to be online at the exact time of the auction as the online auction system provides a proxy bidding service. Learn how the proxy bid service works.

When you are the successful bidder, the most convenient way to pay the balance due is by wire transfer. This also saves you the time needed to make a trip to the Clerk’s Office to pay in person with cash or a cashier's check.

After being processed by the Clerk’s Office, the payment by wire transfer will be documented in the online auction system.

Review the email confirming your winning bid for important payment deadlines and instructions on how to initiate your payment.

Winning bidders who fail to pay their balance by the deadline will forfeit their deposit. To ensure you do not lose your non-refundable deposit and the property you won, pay your balance by the due date and time stated in your winning confirmation email.

Note: A bidder who fails to pay their winning bid balance may be barred from bidding on future auction (Florida Statute 197.542(2)).

If you were not the winning bidder for an auction, you have the following options:

• Leave your deposited funds in your online auction account to use for other auctions.
• Request a full or partial refund of your deposit. Learn how to request a refund

If you are the applicant on a tax deed file, and no bids are received on the property, the Clerk and Comptroller will send you a notice giving you 30 days to either:

• Take ownership of the property and pay any additional balance due. - If you choose to take title, the Clerk and Comptroller will process your final payment, issue and record the Tax Deed, notify the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector, and mail the original Tax Deed to you.
  
  
• Decline to take ownership of the property. - If you decline to take title, the Clerk and Comptroller will place the property on the List of Lands Available for public purchase and refund any remaining funds from the initial $500.00 deposit. Full payment of your opening bid for the property will be reimbursed if someone purchases the property from the List of Lands Available.

If you are the applicant on a tax deed file, and the property sells to another bidder, no further action is required from you. The Clerk and Comptroller will reimburse you for your opening bid amount after the sale, and mail your 1099-INT tax form to you in January of the following year if the interest paid to you was greater than or equal to $600.00.

Several forms of payment are accepted for the Tax Deed Auction process. This information is explained at Tax Deed Sales FAQs.

A full or partial refund may be requested. Refunds are not automatic and must be initiated by the auction account owner.

To request a refund, login to your account at the auction website and click on the "Request Refund" link.