Tax Sale

Disclaimer

DELINQUENT TAX SALE

BY VIRTUE OF EXECUTIONS issued by the Colleton County Treasurer, pursuant to SC Code Section 12-45-180, she has directed the Colleton County Tax Collector, to levy the Executions by distress and sell certain pieces and parcels of real, personal property, manufacturing and fee in lieu properties of the defaulting taxpayer’s estate in her jurisdiction in order to collect the delinquent taxes, assessments, penalties and costs due.

Location:  Colleton Civic Center

                      494 Hampton St

                       Walterboro SC  29488 

Date:  Friday, December 6, 2024

Bidder Registration Begins: 9:00 a.m. 

Bidding Begins: 10:00 a.m. 

TAX SALE LISTING

The listed properties are delinquent for the tax year 2023, and/or any prior years, and are shown in alphabetical order by name of owner. The opening bid shall contain the delinquent taxes for tax year 2023 and/or prior years along with 2024 tax year.  Any properties listed are subject to be removed from sale for reasons applied by law or by payment of delinquent taxes and the total tax due is not final as it is subject to change.

TERMS OF SALE

The property duly advertised must be sold, by the person officially charged with the collection of delinquent taxes, at public auction at the courthouse or other convenient place within the county, if designated and advertised, on the advertised date for legal tender payable in full by cash, cashier's check, money order or electronic wire on the date of the sale. If the defaulting taxpayer or the grantee of record of the property has more than one item advertised to be sold, as soon as sufficient funds have been accrued to cover all of the delinquent taxes, assessments, penalties, and costs, further items must not be sold.

If the official in charge of the tax sale discovers before a tax title has passed that there is a failure of any action required to be properly performed, the official may void the tax sale and refund the amount paid, plus interest in the amount actually earned by the county on the amount refunded, to the successful bidder. If the full amount of the taxes, assessments, penalties, and costs have not been paid, the property must be brought to tax sale as soon as practicable. The successful purchaser, or assignee, is responsible for the actual cost of preparing the tax title plus documentary stamps necessary to be affixed and recording fees. The successful purchaser, or assignee, shall pay the amounts to the person officially charged with the collection of delinquent taxes before delivery of the tax title to the register of deeds and, upon payment, the person officially charged with the collection of delinquent taxes is responsible for promptly transmitting the tax title to the register of deeds for recording and remitting the recording fee and documentary stamps cost.

Final list is subject to change. As delinquent property taxes are paid, they will be removed from the official tax sale auction list.

THE PURPOSE OF THE TAX SALE

The Tax Sale is for the purpose of forced collection of delinquent property taxes for a specific year.   The opening bidding opens with the Tax Collector submitting the opening bid on behalf of the Forfeited Land Commission (FLC), according to state law 12-51-55 of the SC Code of Laws. Unless someone else submits a higher bid, the successful bidder does not receive a tax deed of any right to possession, and their interest in the property does not vest until after the expiration of the redemption period.  The redemption period is one year and a day.    

CONDITIONS OF SALE

The sale is an open auction. Properties are sold in alphabetical order according to the taxpayer’s last name. Research property before you bid on it!!!  As with any “buyer beware purchase” the burden falls on you to check the condition of the properties you want to bid on. The County must sell all properties that have delinquent taxes.  Ditches, private roadways, and small strips of land are taxable and can therefore be included in the tax sale.

Payments must be made by cash, cashier’s check, money order or electronic wire.  A tax sale receipt will be issued to the bidder. Failure to comply in paying your bid will result in a $500.00 fine per bid, which will be pursued through magistrate court. 

PROPERTY REDEMPTION

You cannot do anything with the property you bid on until you are issued a tax deed. Real property has a 12 month redemption period. If you are the winning bidder, the property can be redeemed by the current owner/mortgage holder for up to one year and one day after the date of the sale. Once a property is redeemed, the bidder will be notified by mail. At that time, a check signature form must be returned to the Delinquent Tax Office for a refund of the bid plus the applicable interest. The interest paid shall not exceed the opening bid amount.

The interests are calculated as follows:

First three months 3% of bid

Four, five, and six months 6% of bid

Seven, eight, and nine months 9% of bid

Last three months 12% of bid

DELIVERY OF TAX TITLE

If real property is not redeemed, a tax deed is issued to the successful bidder. The person officially charged with the collection of delinquent taxes will issue a tax deed and/or a mobile home bill of sale from the tax collector.   The successful purchaser, or assignee, is responsible for the actual cost of preparing the tax title plus documentary stamps, necessary to be affixed and recording fees. The successful purchaser, or assignee, shall pay the amounts to the person officially charged with the collection of delinquent taxes before delivery of the tax title to the register of deeds and, upon payment, the person officially charged with the collection of delinquent taxes is responsible for promptly transmitting the tax title to the register of deeds for recording and remitting the recording fee and documentary stamps cost. All deed stamp fees must be paid prior to the deed recording. The deed preparation fee must be paid prior to sending documents to the attorney to prepare the deed.  A tax sale does not erase liens that may be currently attached to the property.  If the property is sold at the tax sale, the successful bidder will have to also pay any outstanding county liens.  A tax deed is not a warranty deed. If property is not redeemed, the successful bidder will be required to pay mobile home registration fees with county and SC DMV fees.

VOIDED TAX SALE

Tax sales can be voided at any time prior to the issuance of a tax deed. If a sale is voided, the bidder will be refunded his/her bid money and the actual interest earned.  If the tax payer pays their property taxes at anytime during the tax sale, the sale will also be voided.

Effective November 16, 2023

The Tax Sale is held in accordance with South Carolina Code of Laws Title 12, Section 51.

1. Open SC12-51 on Alternate Procedure for Collection of Property Taxes.