The annual Marion County Tax Sale will be held on Monday.

Delinquent notices were mailed to residents and published and this year’s list is based on any unpaid taxes as of May 21st. Any unpaid taxes must be paid at the office by Friday, June 13th or online by Sunday, June 15th and if not they will be sold at the tax sale. 

Marion County Treasurer Michaela Bigaouette says it’s important to note that investors do not purchase properties at tax sale, and only pay the outstanding taxes. However, if taxes on that property continue to remain unpaid, the investor can begin legal proceedings to obtain the deed to that property after one year and nine months have elapsed. Once taxes are held in a tax sale, the monthly interest rate on the amount due goes from 1.5% per month to 2% per month. No payments can be accepted on a tax sale. By law, a tax sale must be paid in full to redeem those taxes from the investor. Bigaouette says once a property goes to tax sale you no longer owe money to the county, but instead you owe a private investor. 

“What it does not mean is that the property itself is sold at tax sale. When we say a property goes to tax sale, what it means is that any unpaid taxes on that property are sold at the annual tax sale to a private investor. We then add on a $20 certificate fee for each parcel and the interest rate increases to 2% per month. Once your property goes to tax sale you no longer owe the county that money, you owe a private investor.”

For more information about tax sales and links to pay in full or make scheduled payments online you can follow this link. Hear more from Bigaouette about the tax sale on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.