Santa Clarita tax defaulted properties to be sold at auction.

Once again, it’s time for the Los Angeles County Tax Defaulted Property Sale, where they’ll auction off properties in Santa Clarita as well as other areas of Los Angeles County. The auction is set to take place on August 20 and August 21 at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona.

Looking for a deal? You may find something here, especially if you’re looking for raw land. Auction prices start at the amount of back taxes owed, and although some will sell at that price, many will be bid up auction-style before they’re sold.

Here are some of the Santa Clarita properties up for auction at this tax sale:

Location	Lot Size	Price	Notes
Wiley Canyon	5230sf	$     2,193	Vacant Land
Kay Drive	6000sf	$     1,910	Subdivided lot near Placerita Cyn
Sheffield at Via Princessa	56780sf	$   11,219	Open space, easement, common area
Trail Ridge Rd	.06 acres	$     1,764	Sand Cyn area
Sierra Hwy	11.73 acres	$  741,145	Church owned, zoned MFR
Ave of the Oaks	N/A	$     5,152	Condo
Sierra Hwy	156.38 acres	$1,435,980	Church owned, zoned SFR
Sierra Hwy	14 subdivided lots	$  353,439	Church owned
Shadow Pines area	3.03 acres	$    22,234	Vacant Land

How to Bid on Tax Defaulted Properties

The tax sale is done auction-style, with numbered paddles issued to each bidder. You can buy the book of properties to be auctioned from the County of Los Angeles Treasurer and Tax Collector’s Office. Either visit them in person, or buy it online for $15 plus tax and shipping.

Not all properties listed in the book will be auctioned off, since some owners will pay the amounts due before the auction date. The County will update the list online on a regular basis, but expect some last-minute deletions from the list on the date of the auction.

You’ll need to register for the auction by August 10, and the registration requirements include submitting a $5,000 deposit that will be refunded if you don’t use it all up. You’ll need cash, a cashier’s check or a money order for the deposit, as personal checks and credit cards will not be accepted. The first 200 people to register will receive priority seating, which can be a big bonus since these auctions can become quite a zoo.

Paying for Properties Won at Auction

Your $5,000 auction deposit will be used to pay for anything purchased under that amount, and will also be used as the full deposit for properties purchased up to $50,000. Anything over $50,000 will require a 10% deposit at the auction, with the balance to be paid within 30 days after the auction.

Caution: Black Holes and Vipers

Just because a property is listed for auction doesn’t necessarily mean that the property is usable. It also doesn’t mean that it’s completely free of all liens, since it only cancels private liens. Watch out for these black holes and vipers that can by lying in wait for the unsuspecting buyer!

Public liens such as Improvement Bonds, Mello-Roos special tax liens, Demolition liens, Weed Abatement liens and IRS liens will be the responsibility of the new owner. Any existing contamination on the property will become the responsibility of the new owner as well.

Also, be aware that you CANNOT disturb the current property owners by knocking on doors or walking around their properties! You can do a drive-by and research any documents filed at the County Recorder’s Office, but that’s all you can do.

BE SURE TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE YOU BID!

Sales are Not Always Final

Tax sales are usually final, but there are times where either an error is made or the current owner files a valid dispute that voids the auction. In this case, the County will refund what you paid and the property will revert back to the original owner.

Researching Properties: Some Quick Tips

The auction book lists properties by their parcel number, and also shows addresses when available. However, since many of the properties are vacant land, you’ll find that most don’t have addresses.

When you don’t have an address, you’ll need to do some research. The first step is to view the county assessors map, which can normally be found online. If you can’t read these maps, then either call or visit the County Assessor’s Office for help, or find someone else who understands them.

If there are no street names on a map, it can be difficult to determine exactly where a property is located. In this case, you’ll need to view all of the adjacent map areas until you find something recognizable, and then backtrack until you can pinpoint the location of the property that you’re interested in.

Going for the Prize

Sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? It can be, but it gets easier once you get used to the research process. And the prize you’re working towards is an undervalued property that you can turn into a large profit!

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