Tax sale nets nearly quarter million from 203 properties

Putnam County officials conducted their annual delinquent property tax sale Friday at the courthouse, resulting in the collection of nearly a quarter-million dollars from owners and buyers.

In all, 203 parcels had all taxes, penalties and costs paid in full, totaling $227,405.12.

A property tax sale is required to be held in each Indiana county for those properties where an owner of real estate fails to pay the property taxes from the prior year’s first property tax bill installment.

A tax lien on the property may be sold to satisfy the tax obligation to the highest bidder. The owners of the properties sold at the tax sale have one year to pay the delinquent property taxes, costs and penalties.

The sale, conducted by Indianapolis-based SRI Inc. on behalf of Putnam County, offered 127 parcels to 32 bidders.

The sale was conducted by County Auditor Lorie Hallett and County Treasurer Kathy Minnick.

“Tax sales are a necessary function of county government,” Treasurer Minnick said. “It is only fair to the people who pay their property taxes every year to pursue those that do not pay.”

For the 76 properties that did not sell, the county commissioners acquire a tax lien. The county commissioners may offer those properties to the public at a sale at a later date.

“It is our ultimate goal to return these properties to the tax rolls as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Auditor Lorie Hallett commented. “Property owned by people that pay their property taxes ensures our local government services are fully funded.”

SRI conducts tax sales in more than 100 counties in Indiana, Michigan, Colorado, Louisiana and Iowa.