Across all of New York State, county tax auctions permit towns to recover unpaid property taxes while giving buyers a chance to purchase real estate at potentially discounted prices.
Each year counties hold auctions where properties with long-overdue tax bills are sold to the highest bidder. These auctions usually include a mix of residential homes, vacant land, commercial buildings, and even waterfront parcels.
The process begins when property owners fall behind on their tax payments for an extended period, usually two to three years depending on the county.
Once a year — usually in October — Dutchess County contracts with Absolute Auction and Realty to conduct a sale of all delinquent properties. Absolute Auction publishes an online brochure which lists all the properties and puts up distinctive yellow signs in front of the properties for sale.
This year the Dutchess County sale of over 100 parcels will take place on ZOOM on Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. Properties are listed by town with information on the type, style, size, building date, acreage and school district.Most importantly, the full market value based on the property’s assessment and the minimum bid consisting of delinquent taxes, interest and penalties are included.
Owners have until Oct. 21 at 5 p.m., the day before the auction, to avoid having their property sold to the highest bidder.
Interested buyers should check the properties removed from the auction on the auctioneers’ website, aarauctions.com which is updated daily. Any unsold properties are held over until the next auction. Interested buyers must register, place a deposit, and be prepared to pay the balance quickly if they win.
Potential buyers should do thorough research on the properties and understand the risks. Properties are sold “as is,” with no guarantees about condition, title issues, or outstanding liens beyond taxes. Some of these distressed properties can be inaccessible back lots, too small to build on or even underwater, while others can be bargains.
Successful bidders take full responsibility for repairs, legal complications, or eviction of occupants. Ray D. Simmons bought 139 Rudd Pond Road in Millerton on .44 acres for $11,000 at one of the last county auctions held live in Poughkeepsie in 2019. Then he had to invest another $20,000 to tear down the deteriorated house, remove 95 tires and fill a 30-yard dumpster before he could start construction on a new house. Online bidding platforms like Absolute Auctions and Realty have made these auctions more accessible with live-streamed sales and digital registration replacing the County Court house steps attracting investors, first-time buyers and local residents alike.
In the upcoming sale in our area the one property listed in Amenia at 85 Bella Vista Road had been removed when the owner paid the back due taxes. Two parcels of vacant land are still available in Stanford and one 7.75-acre lot in the Town of Washington. In the Village of Millerton there is a .19 acre residential lot at 68 Barton Street which may or may not be large enough to build on with a minimum bid of $2,897.54.
Tax auctions benefit the county by collecting overdue taxes and returning properties to the tax rolls which eases the tax burden on other taxpayers. For communities, the auctions can spark neighborhood revitalization when abandoned or neglected buildings gain new owners willing to invest in repairs, upkeep and taxes.
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