As your Mohave County Treasurer, I would like to provide you with information regarding the 2024 Board of Supervisors (Board) Tax Deed Sale auction and how you can take part in the auction yourself.
Upon receiving Board approval, the County will be hosting the 2024 Tax Deed Sale auction in March with a tentative list of over 2,900 parcels. A Tax Deed Sale is the sale of real property by the Board to the highest bidder. After the auction, the Board will execute, record, and deliver to the winning bidder a quit claim deed transferring ownership from the State of Arizona to the winning bidder. The parcel will then be free and clear of all County-held liens (existing easements remain).
The process of taking a parcel to a tax deed sale auction is governed by state statute and involves multiple County departments. Before a parcel can be sold at auction, the parcel must first be tax deeded to the State of Arizona through a Treasurer’s Deed. For a parcel to be tax deeded to the state, the parcel must first be assigned to the state due to two years of delinquent taxes. Five additional years must then pass without the oldest lien being redeemed. After seven (7) total years have passed, if the oldest lien has not been redeemed and the parcel is still held by the County (as opposed to being held by an investor), then the parcel meets the statutory requirements for the Board to apply for and receive a Treasurer’s Deed to the property.
For the Treasurer’s Deed process to begin a list of parcels that meet the tax deed requirements are first submitted to and approved by the Board. Once approved, the 7-month Treasurer’s Deed process is initiated, which includes: requesting title reports for each parcel, providing “subject to foreclosure for delinquent taxes” notifications through certified mail, newspaper publication, and in specific cases, posting of signage on properties. The Treasurer’s Deed process provides the current owner a final opportunity to redeem their delinquent taxes, thereby removing their parcel(s) from the tax deed list. If delinquent taxes are not redeemed by the final redemption date, then unredeemed parcels are tax deeded to the State of Arizona through a Treasurer’s Deed.
Tax deeded parcels are then prepared for the Tax Deed Sale auction. Mohave County has partnered with Public Surplus to host the auction online. For those interested in participating in the upcoming auction, please visit the Public Surplus website at www.publicsurplus.com to create your bidder account. During the week of the auction, bidders will have the opportunity to submit their bids from Monday through Friday with auctions ending throughout the final day on Friday. The most up-to-date information on the upcoming Tax Deed Sale auction including the dates and list of parcels will be found on the Clerk of the Board’s website at www.mohave.gov.
I want to wish all the citizens of Mohave County a Happy Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas, and a Blessed New Year. In the coming months, I will be working with our state legislators to pass common-sense legislation that supports you, the taxpayer, and meets the needs of our local government. I look forward to serving you, the residents of Mohave County, for many years to come.
May God bless Mohave County!
Sueann Mello, Mohave County Treasurer
