Announcements

PAYMENTS AND VESTING INFORMATION: Winning bidders must complete payment and vesting information after logging in and clicking on the sale date from the Auction Schedule. The payment deadline is 5 business days after the auction date. Payments will be marked as Pending until about two weeks after the payment deadline, at which point all received payments will be marked Valid.

REFUNDS: Refunds of unused or remaining deposits will be issued within ten (10) business days of the auction closing. You will receive an email when your refund has been issued.

Please Note: this site will be down for scheduled maintenance from 9:00pm - 10:00pm ET on Monday, April 8, 2024. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is a property tax auction?
  2. Can I bid in person?
  3. What equipment or software do I need to be able to participate?
  4. Will it cost me anything to participate?
  5. How do I get started?
  6. Does a property tax auction eliminate all other liens on a property?
  7. Where can I see the list of properties in the sales?
  8. Where can I find additional information on the County's website?
  9. How do I search for items?
  10. How can I download the sale list?
  11. What does "Withdrawn" mean on the bid page?
  12. How do I mark and view items as "Favorites"?
  13. What information is available for each property?
  14. Do I need to register in order to view information on the site?
  15. What is an Affiliate?
  16. I forgot my User ID.
  17. I forgot my Password.
  18. How do I submit my deposit?
  19. What is an ACH debit?
  20. What is the auction format?
  21. What is proxy bidding?
  22. What do I need to do before I can bid?
  23. When can I place my bids?
  24. What happens to my deposit if I don't win any property?
  25. What is the "Two Minute Rule"?
  26. I won. What do I do now?
  27. When do bidders have to pay the amount due for their purchases?
  28. How do I make final payment?
  29. What happens if I fail to pay the balance within the period indicated?
  30. Who do I contact if I have a question about how to use the website?
  31. If I have questions about a specific property, who do I contact?
  32. How soon will I receive the tax deed?

  1. What is a property tax auction?

    Property that has tax bill(s) remaining unpaid for a period of greater than five years becomes subject to a tax sale. The property(s) will be offered for sale at a public auction for a minimum bid. The minimum bid is typically the amount of taxes owed plus all penalties and costs that have been applied to the property(s).


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  2. Can I bid in person?

    No. This auction is being conducted online as an internet auction.


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  3. What equipment or software do I need to be able to participate?
    A bidder must have internet access and a web browser with the following versions:
    • Mozilla Firefox - latest version
    • Google Chrome - latest version
    • Microsoft Edge - latest version

    The auction site will not support older browsers.

    There is free computer access at public libraries located throughout the County.


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  4. Will it cost me anything to participate?

    Registration on the web site is free. However, you will need to comply with the deposit and final payment requirements if you intend to bid:

    • Submit an advance deposit of $1,000, except as noted below for three specific Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN’s), and a non-refundable $35 bid deposit processing fee. Any unused deposit amounts will be refunded within 10 business days of the auction closing.

    • If you are the winning bidder, a California documentary transfer tax will be added to, and collected with, the final sales price. This tax is calculated at the rate of $.55 for each $500.00 or fractional part thereof if the purchase price exceeds $100.00.

    • IMPORTANT: There are three APN’s, 225-171-37-00, 501-233-03-00 and 575-470-01-00, in this sale that require a $25,000.00 advance bid deposit each, and a non-refundable $35.00 bid deposit processing fee. The deposit payment shall be made via a wire transfer. If you are interested in bidding on any of these three APN’s you must submit this additional advance bid deposit for each APN, or you will not be permitted to bid on the three APN’s. Bidders who plan to submit the $25,000.00 deposit(s), do not have to also submit the $1,000 deposit. The larger deposit(s) will allow you to bid on other APNs in the sale. Instructions are provided on the bidder registration page of the auction site.


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  5. How do I get started?
    • Read all information and view the "Demos" under Tax Sale Instructions
    • Register on the web site
    • Add Affiliates for the name(s) you want to have the deed issued to
    • Thoroughly research any properties you may be interested in
    • Make sure you have funds available to pay for any properties you may win
    • Submit the required deposit on the website before the deadline
    • Enter your bids
    • Enter vesting information as you want it to appear on the Tax Deed
    • Pay for your purchases

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  6. Does a property tax auction eliminate all other liens on a property?

    Some liens may be dischargeable, and others may not. Tax and property laws are complicated, and bidders should thoroughly research outstanding or potential liens, mortgages, encumbrances, or title defects prior to placing a bid on a property in a tax deed sale. It is best to seek legal advice of an attorney who can provide you with information about liens on a given property. Be advised that you are solely responsible for researching tax deed properties and you assume sole responsibility for making any bid at the online auction. The County does not make any representations or warranties as to the status of the title or liens on any property auctioned. For more information please refer to the County Tax Sale Terms and Conditions.


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  7. Where can I see the list of properties in the sales?

    You can view the list of items for sale by visiting https://sdttc.mytaxsale.com/ or by clicking on the sales listed in the auction schedule.


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  8. Where can I find additional information on the County's website?

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  9. How do I search for items?

    Once you are logged into the site you can search the auction listings by ID# or APN# using the search box at the top of the page.


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  10. How can I download the sale list?

    To download a list of each day's sale items, you must:

    • Log in with your username and password
    • Select the sale date from the Auction Schedule
    • Click View Auction on the left side navigation bar
    • Click the download link at the bottom of the page.

    The sales list will be downloaded as an Excel file with the available details for each item in the sale.


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  11. What does "Withdrawn" mean on the bid page?

    "Withdrawn" in the auction listing means that a property has been withdrawn and is not available for bidding. Properties may be withdrawn from the auction from time to time and the auction site will be updated daily to reflect any such changes.


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  12. How do I mark and view items as "Favorites"?

    You can add an item as a favorite by clicking on the star at the end of the row in the auction listing on the bid page. Any item that you submit a bid on will automatically be marked as a favorite. If you would like to view just your favorites you can click the link on the top, right-hand part of the bid table called "DISPLAY MY FAVORITE ITEMS". The link will then change to read "DISPLAY ALL ITEMS," which will expand the list to show all items after you click it.


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  13. What information is available for each property?

    After you have selected a sale from the Auction Calendar you can access the bid page to view the available information for each item. You can see property details and links for further information by clicking on the plus sign next to the ID number. You can access the Tax Collector's property information page by clicking the Map Information link.

    For more information please refer to the County Tax Sale Terms and Conditions.


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  14. Do I need to register in order to view information on the site?

    No. Registration is free and you do not need to register solely to view an auction, see results or research properties.


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  15. What is an Affiliate?

    Affiliates are parties who you intend to have the deed issued to. You can add the names of your affiliated persons or entities at the bottom of the registration page when you first register, or as needed using the "My Account" page after you have logged in. You will need to designate which party in the list to have the deed issued to when a sale closes. If you do not select a name the deed will be issued in your registration name.

    You can also add names from Step 2 on the Pre-Auction checklist. This link will take you to the "My Account" page.

    Once the auction is closed, you will be asked to complete the vesting information. The names available for you to choose from are the names in your Affiliates list. If you need to add a name, go to the "My Account" page. You will be asked to submit vesting information for all properties that you have won.


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  16. I forgot my User ID.

    You can find a link for "Forgot your User ID" after clicking Sign In on the top right of the home page.

    After you enter your email address we will send an email to the address you provided with either your User ID, or a message to contact us (if you have more than one user ID associated with your email address). If you do not receive the email, please check your spam or junk folders.


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  17. I forgot my Password.

    You can find a link for "Forgot your password?" after clicking Sign In on the top right of the home page.

    Clicking the link will prompt you to enter your User ID, after which you will need to enter the answer to the security question you set at registration. Neither the User ID nor the the security question answer are case sensitive. If you correctly answer the security question you will be sent an email with a link for you to reset your password. If you do not recognize the security question, or you receive an error message that the answer you provided is incorrect, it is most likely because the User ID you entered is incorrect. Use the Forgot your User ID link to find the correct ID for your email address. If you do not receive the email, please check your spam or junk folders.


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  18. How do I submit my deposit?

    You must submit a $1,000.00 advance deposit and a non-refundable $35 bid deposit processing fee at least 5 full business days before the auction opens. If you plan to bid on one of these three APN’s, 225-171-37-00, 501-233-03-00 or 575-470-01-00, they require a $25,000.00 advance deposit, and a non-refundable $35.00 bid deposit processing fee at least 5 full business days before the auction opens. Wire Instructions for Deposit.

    To submit your deposit online via e-Check (ACH/Electronic Debit):

    • Log in with your username and password
    • Click the "My Payments" link on the left-hand tool bar then Click "Submit Deposit"
    • Enter your banking information as instructed on the screen and click "Submit"

    You will receive an email confirmation of your payment submission including when it is expected to become available for bidding.

    Deposit refunds are not processed before the auction occurs. All deposit refunds will be processed within ten (10) business days of the auction closing and will be made to the same account used to submit the deposit. The $35 processing fee is non-refundable.


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  19. What is an ACH debit?

    An ACH debit is an electronic funds transfer from your bank account, initiated by the vendor with your prior authorization. For more information on ACH, please visit the NACHA, the Electronic Payments Association, at www.nacha.org.

    Funds must be drawn from a US financial institution. Some types of money market, brokerage, and/or trust accounts cannot accept ACH debits. Please check with your financial institution prior to initiating payment on the website.


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  20. What is the auction format?

    The auction is structured to be an Open/Proxy bid auction, and subject to an auction extension (the 'two minute rule') as described in the FAQs below. In an Open Auction you only see the current "Best Bid" submitted per parcel as shown in the "Best Bid" column of the Bid page. If you submit a bid on a parcel, you will see your status relative to that bid, meaning either "Leading" (you currently have the best bid), or "Trailing" (your best submitted bid is lower than another bidder). Each bidder in the auction submits a 'max bid' and the system will proxy bid that bid, on their behalf, against all other submitted max bids in increments of $100 until their max bid amount is equaled or exceeded. You cannot see what other people have submitted as max bids; you can only see the current leading bid.


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  21. What is proxy bidding?

    Proxy bidding is a form of competitive sale in which bidders input the maximum bid they are willing to pay for a property they would like to purchase. The system will then automatically enter bids on their behalf, as necessary, up to their maximum bid.

    For example, if the opening bid for a parcel is $17,100 and a bidder enters a "Maximum Bid" of $30,000, the system will enter an opening bid on behalf of that bidder in the amount of $ 17,100. If a new bidder then enters a bid of $25,000 the system will proxy bid for the first bidder and they will maintain the lead at $25,100. If the second bidder then increases their max bid to $35,000 the system will proxy that bid and they will become the new leader at $30,100.

    If you enter a maximum bid that is the same as another lead bid, the first bidder to submit that amount would be deemed the leader. The trailing bidder would be notified with a message on the screen that "your bid was submitted successfully, but you trail an earlier bidder at the same price". The non-leader would have to increase his/her maximum bid to become the leader.

    All bids submitted on this site are submitted as proxy bids. The bid you enter after you click the Enter Max Bid link will be executed using the proxy bid system.


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  22. What do I need to do before I can bid?

    After you have logged in and selected the sale you are interested in from either the Upcoming Auctions table or the Auction Calendar you will be taken to the Pre-Auction Checklist page. On this page you will see the steps you need to do before bidding. Clicking on the instruction title for each step will take you to the page to perform that action. If you have completed any of the steps you will see a green checkmark next to it. You can also see how much you have in your deposit account for the user ID you are logged in as on this page.


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  23. When can I place my bids?

    All bidders with a valid deposit may begin placing bids on the opening day of the sale. See the Auction Schedule for the exact dates of upcoming sales. Please note when bidding that all properties have their own unique closing date and time (please note the close time listed on the Bid Page for the properties you are interested in bidding) after which bids will no longer be accepted, with the exception of the "Two Minute Rule." See FAQ below on the 'Two Minute Rule'.


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  24. What happens to my deposit if I don't win any property?

    Refunds of the bid deposit shall be made by Grant Street Group to unsuccessful bidders within ten (10) business days after the close of the property tax auction.


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  25. What is the "Two Minute Rule"?

    If a bidder becomes a leading bidder (as displayed by "Leader" in the bid status column) in the last two minutes of the sale, the Auction Clock will change to reflect a new Auction Close Time and the sale will be extended two (2) minutes to allow additional bidding. This will continue until that bidder remains leader for two (2) minutes (at which time the auction closes and the leading bid becomes the Winning Bid). Be aware that submitting a bid higher than the "best bid" may not trigger overtime due to the automatic proxy bid. The bid you submit must make you the "Leader" in order to trigger overtime. When you submit your bid you will get a message on your screen that indicates your bid has been accepted and your status is now leading or you are now trailing.


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  26. I won. What do I do now?

    On the "Bidding Summary" page you will see a summary of all the items you have won including your winning bid and total amount due as well as a checklist to finalize settlement of the auctions.

    You must complete the following steps:

    1. Enter Vesting Information - The "ENTER VESTING INFORMATION" link takes you to a page displaying the list of properties that you have won. You can check off the property you would like to provide the Vesting Information for, or you can click on multiple properties that you would like to submit the same vesting information for. The names you have previously entered as affiliates will appear as choices in the "Name" dropdown, but you can also select "Other" to provide a new name to add to your list. Please note that all vesting information needs to be submitted within 48 hours of the close of the auction.

    2. Make Final Payment - Click on "FINAL PAYMENT" to view a screen with instructions on how you can make your final payment. As the winning bidder, you must pay the following costs; your winning bid amount plus documentary transfer tax of $0.55 (fifty-five cents) per $500.00, or a fractional portion thereof, of the final sale price.

    The properties offered at each auction of this tax sale are sold to the highest bidder. The highest bidder for each property auction of this tax sale shall pay in full within five (5) business days from the close of the auction.


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  27. When do bidders have to pay the amount due for their purchases?

    Winning bidders are required to make final payment in full within five (5) business days from the close of the auction. PLEASE NOTE: San Diego County will not begin accepting payments from successful bidders until all items are closed on the last day of the auction.


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  28. How do I make final payment?
    You can ONLY make your final payment by:
    • State or federally chartered bank-issued cashier's check (made payable to "County of San Diego Treasurer-Tax Collector" and mailed to the below address. It is highly recommended that payments are sent overnight, and that you contact the Tax Sale Unit with the details of the mailing. You may also pay in person by calling the Tax Sale Unit at 619-531-5708 for an appointment.

      County of San Diego Treasurer-Tax Collector
      Attention: Tax Sales Unit
      1600 Pacific Highway, Room 162
      San Diego, CA 92101

    • Wire transfer

    Please note: Payment by personal check, traveler's check, or credit card shall not be accepted.


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  29. What happens if I fail to pay the balance within the period indicated?

    The properties offered at each auction shall be sold to the highest bidder. The highest bidder shall pay in full within five (5) business days from the close of each auction. In the event the highest bidder on an auction fails to comply with these Settlement Requirements, then that bidder's deposit shall be forfeited to the County. Winning bidders who do not submit timely payment on any auction item won will forfeit their deposit to the County and may be banned from future sales.

    If the highest bidder does not make final payment to consummate the sale, the Tax Collector may award the property to the next highest bidder at their bid price as provided for by law.


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  30. Who do I contact if I have a question about how to use the website?

    Representatives of Grant Street Group are available via email (DeedAuction@GrantStreet.com) or via phone at (877) 274-9320 between 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PT on business days to provide instruction and answer questions regarding use of the website.


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  31. If I have questions about a specific property, who do I contact?

    Please contact the County at (619) 531-5708 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PT (Monday through Friday, excluding Official County Holidays).


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  32. How soon will I receive the tax deed?

    The successful bidder will receive the tax deed after making payment in full and after the tax deed has been recorded. Tax Deeds will be recorded as soon as possible; originals will be mailed within four to six weeks of the auction to the Owner Contact Information address provided with vesting information.


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