A New Source of Potential Tax Lien Investing Opportunities
In Delaware, one county is providing all tax lien investors with a special “preview” of opportunities to come. Sussex County is posting a “top 100” delinquent property tax list online to attempt to place some public pressure on the individuals who have failed to pay in a timely manner . Collectively, the group owes about 12 million dollars. The county reports that more than a quarter of the list is made up of corporations and land developers. The county hopes that publishing the names of the highest-debt offenders will embarrass them into paying their taxes, and will refresh the list as owners pay up.
Interestingly the largest subcategory of properties is manufactured and mobile homes. This subcategory owes about 7 million dollars total. The owners of the properties have already been warned that the list is going public, so they should not be surprised to be contacted by potential investors looking to help them deal with their problems. If you are the type of tax lien investor who likes to avoid the auction scene, then this new trend of publication and pressure could be a new avenue for you to locate promising properties in tax lien trouble.
Do you think publishing a “top 100” list is a reasonable act on the part of Sussex County?
Thank you for reading! Your comments and questions are welcomed below.
Do you think there will be other states and counties taking this approach? Or do we all have to just watch THAT county’s newspapers?
I was very surprised at the results of the listing. Having it go public seems like a good idea as businesses should not want a bad image. This would give them a chance to rectify the problem before it gets worse. And it is a great opportunity for investors to get in on the action before a sale – YUK!
A list of property owners who are delinquent is available in most counties on request…
It is a valuable source for motivated sellers…
Wonderful information!! I would love to take advantage of this opportunity!