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States › Iowa › Tax Sale Summary

There are 99 Counties in Iowa. It became the 29th state on December 28, 1846. The state motto is "Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights we will Maintain".

Currently, the maximum interest rate being offered to all Iowa tax lien certificate investors is 24% with a two year right of redemption.

Summary: Annually, on the third Monday in June the county treasurer shall offer at public sale all parcels on which taxes are delinquent. The sale shall be made for the total amount of taxes, interest, fees, and costs due. If for good cause the treasurer cannot hold the annual tax sale on the third Monday of June, the treasurer may designate a different date in June for the sale. (Sec. 446.7, Sec. 446.15). The minimum bid is the amount of delinquent property taxes, interest, penalties and costs (Sec. 446.7). When a parcel is offered at a tax sale under section 446.18, and no bid is received, or if the bid received is less than the total amount due, the county in which the parcel is located, through its county treasurer, shall bid for the parcel a sum equal to the total amount due (Sec. 446.19).

Law: Code of Iowa, Title X, Subtitle 2, Chapter 446, "Tax Sales," Chapter 447, "Tax Redemption," and Chapter 448, "Tax Deeds."

Tax Sale List: Use Iowa Tax Sale Lists to search for Iowa tax lien certificates to buy or bid on. Generally most Iowa tax sale lists will identify the property owner, parcel number, legal description and the amount due. In some cases, the tax sale list may include the tax collectors assessed value of the property.

Contact: The County Treasurer (Sec. 446.7).

Interest Rate: 2% per month (24% per annum). More specifically, A parcel sold under this chapter and chapter 446 may be redeemed at any time before the right of redemption expires, by payment to the county treasurer, to be held by the treasurer subject to the order of the purchaser, of the amount for which the parcel was sold, including the fee for the certificate of purchase, and interest of two percent per month, counting each fraction of a month as an entire month, from the month of sale, and the total amount paid by the purchaser or the purchaser's assignee for any subsequent year, with interest at the same rate added on the amount of the payment for each subsequent year from the month of payment, counting each fraction of a month as an entire month (Sec. 447.1).

Auction Type: Tax Lien Certificate. Specifically, the county treasurer shall designate on the county system each parcel sold for taxes and not redeemed, by noting on the county system the year in which it was sold. (Sec. 446.1).

Bidding Procedure: The person who offers to pay the total amount due, which is a lien on any parcel, for the smallest percentage of the parcel is the purchaser, and when the purchaser designates the percentage of any parcel for which the purchaser will pay the total amount due, the percentage thus designated shall give the person an undivided interest upon the issuance of a treasurer's deed (Sec. 446.16).

Costs: Statutory costs collectible as part of the sale price include up to $4 for publishing the notice of sale (Sec. 446.10) and a "reasonable" registration fee (Sec. 446.16).

Redemption Period: 24 months but, practically speaking, one year and nine months. A parcel sold under this chapter and chapter 446 may be redeemed at any time before the right of redemption expires, by payment to the county treasurer, (Sec. 447.1) After one year and nine months from the date of sale, or after nine months from the date of a sale made under section 446.18, 446.19A, or 446.39, the holder of the certificate of purchase may cause to be served upon the person in possession of the parcel, and also upon the person in whose name the parcel is taxed, a notice signed by the certificate holder or the certificate holder's agent or attorney, stating the date of sale, the description of the parcel sold, the name of the purchaser, and that the right of redemption will expire and a deed for the parcel be made unless redemption is made within ninety days from the completed service of the notice (Sec. 447.9).

Deed assigned at Foreclosure to: Certificate holder. Immediately after the expiration of ninety days from the date of completed service of the notice provided in section 447.12, the county treasurer shall make out a deed for each parcel sold and unredeemed upon the return of the certificate of purchase and payment of the appropriate deed and recording fees by the purchaser (Sec. 448.1).

Notes:

Counties:

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