Seneca County property owners who owe delinquent taxes have until March 3rd to pay up or face foreclosure, with their property sold at a public auction.
County Treasurer Les Marquart emphasized the importance of avoiding foreclosure and staying in homes, saying that “bringing taxes current or entering into an installment agreement with our office before the redemption date will help folks avoid the foreclosure process.”
The treasurer’s office mails Foreclosure Notice and Petition to properties owners with delinquent taxes subject to foreclosure each fall, with the petition filed last October including properties with delinquent taxes from 2020. Notices are sent via regular and certified mail to property owners, mortgage holders and others with identified interests in the delinquent properties. A list of delinquent taxes is also published in two local newspapers, with warnings posted on properties that they could be sold for back taxes.
Only after each of those steps occurs does the County Attorney bring the matter to court to obtain a judgment foreclosing on the properties still in delinquent status.
Marquart said the law requires the county to take every step to enforce the property tax laws and ensure that everyone pays their fair share, adding that an updated list of properties in delinquent tax status is available online on the Seneca County Treasurer’s website.
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