Putnam County officials held their annual property tax sale on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
The sale, conducted by Indianapolis-based SRI Incorporated on behalf of Putnam County Auditor Lorie Hallett and Treasurer Sharon Owens, offered 153 parcels to 32 bidders.
This year's tax sale resulted in the collection of $297,232.78 from owners and buyers. Between 200 parcels paid before the sale and 50 sold at the sale, 250 properties had all taxes, penalties and costs paid in full.
"Tax sales are a necessary function of county government," Owens said. "It is only fair to the people who pay their property taxes every year to pursue those that do not pay."
For the 103 properties that did not sell, the county commissioners acquire a tax lien. The commissioners may offer those properties at a sale at a later date.
"It is our ultimate goal to return these properties to the tax rolls as quickly and efficiently as possible," Hallett said. "Property owned by people that pay their property taxes ensure our local government services are fully funded."
A property tax sale is required to be held in each Indiana county for those properties on which an owner of real estate fails to pay the property taxes from the prior year's first property tax bill installment. A tax lien on the property may be sold to satisfy the tax obligation to the highest bidder.
The owners of the properties sold at the tax sale have one year to pay the delinquent property taxes, costs and penalties to keep the property.
SRI conducts tax sales in 83 counties in Indiana, Michigan and Colorado. For more information on property tax sales, visit www.sri-taxsale.com.
