Hancock County

Sale typeWhat you actually buy. A lien sale gives you a claim on the property and the owner keeps it for now; a deed sale transfers the property itself. A redeemable deed transfers ownership but still gives the former owner time to pay you back. See the full glossary for more terms.

lien

Iowa Code § 446.16(3)

Interest / penaltyWhat you earn when the owner redeems. Interest is a rate paid over time; a penalty is usually a one-time percentage of the tax or redemption amount. A rate that is bid down during the auction is still interest. See the full glossary for more terms.

2% per month

Iowa Code § 447.1(1)

RedemptionHow long the former owner has to repay the debt and keep the property after the sale. Your money stays tied up until this window closes, so a long period can mean a multi-year wait on a lien. See the full glossary for more terms.

1 year 9 months from sale, then 90-day notice before tax deed

Iowa Code § 447.9(1)

Bid methodHow the winner is chosen: bidding the interest rate down, bidding a premium above the amount owed, a random or rotating draw, or simply buying at the minimum bid. See the full glossary for more terms.

bid-down of percentage ownership interest (minimum 1%)

Iowa Code § 446.16(1)

Sale timingWhen sales are typically held. Many counties publish sale lists only a few weeks ahead, and some sell continuously or on their own schedule. See the full glossary for more terms.

June (third Monday)

Iowa Code § 446.7(1)

Auction platforms

No platform listing found yet.

Parcels in this county

No parcels listed yet.

1. 1.Annually on the third Monday in June the county treasurer offers at public sale all parcels on which taxes are delinquent, for the total amount of taxes, interest, fees, and costs due (446.7)
2. 2.The treasurer offers each parcel separately for the total amount due (446.15)
3. 3.The treasurer may establish and collect a reasonable registration fee from each registered bidder; the fee does not apply to a county or municipality and the total collected cannot exceed the total costs of the tax sale (446.16)
4. 4.Only persons as defined in section 4.1 may register or bid, and a non-individual must have a federal tax identification number plus an agent-for-service filing or a chapter 547 statement on file (446.16)
5. 5.The person who offers to pay the total amount due for the smallest percentage of the parcel is the purchaser; equal bids are resolved by a random selection process (446.16)
6. 6.The county treasurer prepares, signs, and delivers a certificate of purchase to the purchaser (446.29)

RegistrationSigning up as a bidder before the sale. Counties set the deadlines and paperwork, which may include an application, identification, and a no-delinquent-taxes statement. See the full glossary for more terms.

Required: UnknownUnknown

Not verified from a source yet.

DepositMoney you must post before or at the sale, often a flat amount or a percentage of your bid. It is usually applied to the purchase price if you win and is often non-refundable if you fail to pay. See the full glossary for more terms.

Required: UnknownUnknown

Not verified from a source yet.

FormsPaperwork a county may collect before you can bid, such as a bidder ID card or a W-9 for tax reporting. See the full glossary for more terms.

Bidder ID card: UnknownW-9: Unknown

A person other than an individual must have a federal tax identification number and either a designation of agent for service of process on file with the secretary of state or a verified statement meeting the requirements of chapter 547 on file with the county recorder

EligibilityRules about who may bid. Some counties restrict non-residents or bar anyone who owes delinquent taxes from participating. See the full glossary for more terms.

Residency required: Unknown

Iowa holds an in-person annual tax lien sale on the third Monday in June (counties may designate another June date for good cause). Bidding is a bid-down: the purchaser is the one who will pay the total amount due for the smallest percentage interest. Iowa law permits but does not mandate a bidder registration fee, so registration requirements vary by county (Scott County, for example, requires online registration). Payment methods and timing are not specified in the cited sections.