Need info for DuPage County, IL

[David Dachtera]

A member of my investing group found a house which is apparently abandoned: tall grass/weeds, heavily weathered, etc. The power is still on (the outside light is on), I found the owner's name from the tax records and found a phone number for them. I called it, and an answering machine picked up mentioning the owner's name and her husband's name in the outgoing message.

I looked it up in the County records. Last year's taxes have not been paid yet and the 2014 taxes were sold.

Looking for someone with experience with DuPage County tax sales. I'm wondering what the redemption period is, if any, and is there some way to find out who bought the 2014 taxes.

[Patrice Boenzi]

Hope this helps!

https://www.dupageco.org/Treasurer/1834/

Tax Sale Information
Before the Actual Tax Sale
October 7, 2016 - If either installment of the current year's real estate tax amount is still delinquent as of this date, the owner's name, parcel number and tax amount due will be listed in the delinquent tax publication.
October 31, 2016 - Any payment of the 2015 real estate tax bill after this date must be made by cashier's check, cash or money order.
November 1, 2016 - An additional cost of $10.00 will be charged to cover the delinquent tax publication and certified mailing expenses.
November 16, 2016 - The total amount due must be received in the Treasurer's office by this date no later than 4:30 pm.
If your Property Taxes are Sold at the Annual Tax Sale Held on November 17/18, 2016

PLEASE CONTACT THE DU PAGE COUNTY CLERK for an "Estimate of Redemption". The property owner has a 2 to 2½ year redemption period in which to fully pay back the amount of their sold taxes, depending on property classification. The DuPage County Clerk can verify the interest rate on your sold parcel along with the total amount due. (As a note, the average successful interest rate bid at the Tax Sale held in November 2015 was 2% per each 6 month redemption period for the majority of parcels sold.)

Information about the Annual Tax Sale
The Tax Sale will be held on November 17th (and 18th, if necessary)

A list of delinquent parcels will be published in local newspapers in October. An electronically transmitted Tax Sale list of the delinquent parcels will be available for purchase by registered tax buyers at a cost of $250. Information contained on the Tax Sale list includes the permanent parcel number, the assessee name, the delinquent tax amount and the state equalized value. Purchase of the list is not a requirement for attending the Tax Sale. The Tax Sale list provided to the tax buyers is for the sole purpose of the delinquent property Tax Sale. Use of this information for any other purpose is strictly prohibited. The County Treasurer reserves the right to deny sale of the list to any tax buyer.

The Official Registration Form to become a tax buyer are available online or in our office on October 1st. A tax buyer must attend the Tax Sale in order to bid. Payment of purchases (delinquent taxes + interest + costs of $104.00 per parcel) must be made by cash or cashier's check the day after the Tax Sale held on November 17, 2016. The legal requirements to purchase at the Tax Sale and procedures that must be followed to obtain a tax deed are outlined in the Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 35, Act 200, Article 21, available at public libraries or on the internet at www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.asp. Knowledge regarding procedures and statutory requirements is the tax buyer's responsibility.

The bid represents the rate of interest that would be earned by the tax buyer on the purchase amount during each six months of the redemption period, if the owner redeems the sale. By law, the maximum interest rate bid is 18%. The sale is to the tax buyer who bids the lowest percentage of interest. In the last several years, the average successful bids ranged from 0% to 4%.

After the Tax Sale, the tax buyer is issued a certificate of purchase, which represents a lien on the property. The property owner has a 2 to 2½ year redemption period, depending on property classification. If the tax lien is not redeemed by the owner, the tax buyer must petition the circuit court for a tax deed after first fulfilling all of the legal requirements. The tax buyer may also pay all unpaid taxes for the next two subsequent years at a specified time and record the payments against the Sale. See Subsequent Tax Payment Information.

In cases where there are no bidders on a parcel, the County, as Trustee for all taxing bodies, becomes the tax buyer at 18%. The County's certificates are available for purchase by tax buyers in the amount that the County paid, along with the 18%. A list of available parcels is available from the Treasurer's office. Please direct inquiries concerning purchasing County certificates to the DuPage County Clerk. There are no forfeitures (unsold parcels) available after the Sale for over-the-counter purchases.

Tax Sale Instructions
Subsequent Tax Payment Information
Local Newspapers