Sullivan 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.

redeemable deed

T.C.A. 67-5-2501

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.

12% per annum on the purchase price during redemption

T.C.A. 67-5-2701(b)

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 if delinquency is 3 years or less; 90 days if more than 3 years

T.C.A. 67-5-2701(a)(1)(C)

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.

highest bidder; clerk bids delinquent debt if no equal-or-higher bid

T.C.A. 67-5-2501

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.

varies by county (sale date fixed by court sale notice)

T.C.A. 67-5-2502

Auction platforms

• GovEase · auction site
• GovEase · auction site
• GovEase · auction site
• GovEase · auction site

Parcels in this county

No parcels listed yet.

1. 1.Watch for the suit and the court's order of sale: a delinquent tax sale is the judicially ordered public sale of property to collect unpaid taxes, prescribed by Tenn. Code Ann. 67-5-2501 to -2516 (Tenn. Att'y Gen. Op. 23-008)
2. 2.Bid at the auction conducted by the clerk of the court that ordered the sale, or by a special master (Tenn. Att'y Gen. Op. 23-008, citing Tenn. Code Ann. 67-5-2502(a)(6))
3. 3.Bid at least the minimum bid the clerk sets, which includes the amount due for taxes, penalties, interest, and the costs of administering the sale; if no other bidder offers that amount the clerk bids it for the taxing entity, except where the entity's legislative body has determined that the property's environmental risks make a minimum bid inappropriate (Tenn. Att'y Gen. Op. 23-008, citing Tenn. Code Ann. 67-5-2501(a)(2))
4. 4.Do not expect to post a bidding deposit: no Tennessee statute authorizes a court clerk to require a deposit as a condition of bidding at a delinquent tax sale (Tenn. Att'y Gen. Op. 23-008)
5. 5.Wait for the clerk's report of sale and the court's confirmation: after the auction the clerk files a report of sale for the judge's confirmation and forwards notice of the sale to the register of deeds (Tenn. Att'y Gen. Op. 23-008, citing Tenn. Code Ann. 67-5-2501(c))

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