Tax Sale Database Glossary

This glossary defines the data in our US tax sale list, both for listing-level data (minimum bid, account number, etc.) and county-level data (statutory minimum rate, direct auction link, etc.). We have grouped the definitions accordingly. Click here to access our free tax sale database:

Individual Tax Sale Auction List Definitions

SCA ID - A unique code designed to identify each entry within our database in the specific format of "COUNTY-STATE-ID". The SCA ID ensures that no data is repeated, facilitating full searchability and maintaining the integrity of the information.

County - A county in the United States is one of over 3,000 geographic units used for property taxation and handling tax sales. It defines legal and tax boundaries, with each county having its own rules for tax sales.

Account Number - A unique identifier assigned by a county to a tax sale, facilitating the management, tracking, and reference of the lien within the county's financial or property records. This number ensures accurate and efficient handling of tax-related matters.

Parcel ID - A unique number assigned by a county to a specific parcel of land. This identifier is used for the purpose of property identification, tax assessment, and record-keeping, ensuring each parcel can be accurately distinguished from others within the county's jurisdiction.

Property Address - The specific location of a property as defined by its street number, name, city, and sometimes zip code. This address is used for identification, mail delivery, legal purposes, and as a means of locating the property on maps and in public records.

Location - In tax sales, "Location" typically denotes the broader area, such as the neighborhood or city, providing context on the regional level. On the other hand, "Property Address" delves into specifics, like "123 Elm Street, Houston," pinpointing the exact spot of the asset within that broader location.

Zip Code - A postal code used by the postal service to designate specific geographic areas, also included in the tax sale dataset.

Legal Description - A formal, detailed description of a parcel of land that uniquely identifies and outlines its boundaries and location, often used in legal documents to ensure precise identification of property for ownership, conveyancing, and taxation purposes. Unlike a property address, a legal description may include references to lot numbers, block numbers, subdivision names, surveys, and other legal identifiers.

Minimum Bid - In the specific context of our tax sale database, the "Minimum Bid" refers to the lowest price at which a county is willing to sell a property or asset at auction. This baseline figure, established before the auction begins, aims to cover any taxes owed, administrative fees, and additional costs tied to the sale. It's the starting point for bidding, crafted to ensure the county recoups a fundamental level of compensation for the property in question.

Date Pulled - In the context of our Tax Sale dataset, "retrieval date" refers to the exact date when the data was last collected or updated. This date is crucial for ensuring the information's currency and reliability, indicating the most recent point at which the dataset reflects the status of tax sales, property details, and associated figures.

Tax Year - The "tax year" is the 12-month window used to calculate taxes on what you earn or own, which might line up with the calendar year or a fiscal year, depending on where you are. It's crucial for doing your taxes right. In our dataset, the tax year directly relates to when the data was gathered, ensuring the info matches the right period.

Owner/Defendant - In tax sales, "Owner" or "Defendant" means the person or company that originally owned the property and now owes back taxes on it. They have to pay off these taxes to keep the county from taking the property away.

Property Value - This is the official estimate your property gets for tax purposes, considering its features and location.

Market Value - An estimation of market value provided by the county. This is the last record of the property being sold.

Attorney - In tax sales scenarios, an attorney plays a pivotal role as a legal advisor specializing in tax law. They provide essential services to clients entangled in tax sale matters, guiding them through the intricacies of tax obligations, liaising with tax authorities on their behalf, and representing them in legal actions related to tax sales.

Plaintiff - In the context of tax sales, the plaintiff is the party, often a governmental entity or tax authority, that initiates legal action against a property owner (the defendant) for unpaid property taxes. In tax sales, you might see non-government entities listed as plaintiffs in our database because tax liens can be sold to private investors or companies. These buyers then have the right to collect unpaid taxes or foreclose on the property if necessary. This method allows governments to get immediate funds for unpaid taxes, while private entities get a chance to earn back the debt with interest or acquire property, blending public and private roles in tax collection.

Status - In relation to tax sales, "status" refers to the current condition or stage of the lien within the legal and administrative process. This term can indicate whether the lien is active, redeemed, released, or expired, among other conditions. The status provides critical information about the progression of the lien, including any actions taken by the involved parties (e.g., payment or contestation by the property owner, enforcement measures by the taxing authority) and the remaining steps required for resolution.

Expected Sales Date - In the context of tax sales, "Sales Date" refers to the specific day on which a tax sale certificate is auctioned or sold by the governmental authority to an investor. This date is critical for both the jurisdiction selling the lien, certificate, or deed to recover owed taxes and for the investor purchasing the lien, as it marks the beginning of the investment period and the start of any applicable redemption period for the property owner to repay the debt and reclaim their property.

Annual Taxes - In the context of tax sales, annual taxes refer to the property taxes assessed by local or state governments that the property owner is obligated to pay yearly. Failure to pay these taxes can result in the imposition of a tax sale, where the owed amount accrues interest and penalties until either paid by the property owner or sold through a tax sale to satisfy the debt.

County-Level Tax Sale Definitions

Full Code - A unique identifier assigned to entries in our database, crafted in the format "County-ST" (County-State). This coding system combines the name of the county with the two-letter abbreviation of the state, providing a straightforward way to distinguish and locate each entry based on its specific geographical origin within the United States.

Short Code - A concise identifier used in our database, following the format "COU-ST" (County-State). This streamlined coding structure melds an abbreviated version of the county name with the state's abbreviation, offering a succinct and efficient method to reference and identify entries by their geographical locations across the United States.

State Abbr - The official two-letter abbreviation used to represent each state in the United States, facilitating concise and uniform references to states across various data entries and documents.

AFFGEOID - A unique code used to identify the county in U.S. Census Bureau data, shapefiles, and similar databases, ensuring consistent and accurate location tracking.

Last Data Retrieval Date - The most recent date on which information was collected or updated in the database, indicating the currency of the data provided.

Latest Information Date - The date when the most current data or information was added to or updated in the database, showing how up-to-date the entries are.

Is Information Available? - Indicates whether the data or details can be accessed or not. If a county exists in our dataset but is marked as unavailable, that means we were unable to find any meaningful information in our search. Feel free to contact us if you believe this is ever in error.

Source - The official origin or provider of the data, information, or material. Typically a page on the county website.

3rd Party Site - When an official county source is unavailable, we provide a third party source that comes from a website or online platform not owned or managed by the county.

Direct Auction Link - A URL that not only directs you to the auction's webpage, facilitating your navigation of each county's auction processes.

Direct Auction Link Instructions - Guidelines or steps provided to help users navigate to and interact with the direct auction link, ensuring they can efficiently access and extract the necessary auction information or participate in the bidding process.

Sale Online or Offline? - Identifies whether the transaction or auction is conducted over the internet (online) or through a physical venue or process (offline).

Platform - Refers to the digital or physical space where activities such as sales, auctions, or services are conducted, facilitating interactions between users or transactions.

Sale Frequency - Indicates how often sales or auctions occur, such as annually, quarterly, monthly, or on an as-needed basis, providing a timeline for potential participants or observers.

Last Completed - Indicates when the most recent sale was successfully concluded.

Upcoming Sale - Refers to the next scheduled sale or auction event.

Sale Type - Specifies whether the sale involves a tax deed or a tax lien, indicating the kind of interest being sold in the property.

Statutory Minimum Interest Rate - The minimum rate of interest that must be paid on the overdue taxes for properties sold at tax sales, as defined by statute or law. This rate determines the minimum return that an investor can expect to receive on the amount they paid to cover the delinquent taxes. This rate is set by state and local laws and can vary widely between jurisdictions. If the property is not redeemed within a specified period, the investor may have the right to foreclose on the property or take ownership, depending on the type of tax sale.