This Friday (February 21), the county is planning to auction off dozens of homes, timeshares, and lots at the San Diego Convention Center. This is an annual auction that includes properties that have been tax delinquent for at least five years, and there will be more than 100 items on the auction block this year.

Vacant (unimproved) land accounts for most of the property offered at tax sales, so this is a great place to look if you’re hoping to build your own home in San Diego County.

There are also houses being offered, and although many of the homes will go for close to their market value, there are always some that sell low. (You can review prior year sales results at the Property Tax Sales site). Some of the homes are featured at NBCSandiego.com.

Timeshares are often the biggest bargain at the tax sale. Timeshare properties expected in this year’s auction include those in:

• Carlsbad Inn (Carlsbad)
• Tamarack Inn (Carlsbad)
• Carlsbad Seapointe Resort (Carlsbad)
• Aviara Four Seasons Resort (Carlsbad)
• Coronado Beach Resort (Coronado)

• Wave Crest (Del Mar)
• Welk Resorts (Escondido)
• Southern California Beach Club (Oceanside)
• Aquamarine Villas (Oceanside)
• Capri by the Sea (San Diego)
• Riviera Oaks Resort (Ramona)
• Gaslamp Plaza Suites (San Diego)
• Winners Circle (Solana Beach)
• San Pebbles – Heritage Ranch (Solana Beach)

San Diego County Treasurer and Tax Collector Dan McAllister cautions that anyone interested in the auction should do their homework.

You should inspect the property before investing. The burden is on the purchaser to thoroughly research, before the sale, any matters relevant to his or her decision to purchase. The County’s sole interest in the sale is the recovery of back taxes.

You can go to the county treasurer’s website to view maps of the properties, but you should also have a title search performed or check with the County Recorder’s office for liens on the property, which the new owner would inherit upon purchase. You can look up the zoning through the city zoning website as well.

If you’re looking for a home, a lot, or a timeshare, you should also be prepared with an acceptable form of payment in hand and ready to buy, as there will be no time for arranging financing after the auction. If you’re ready to buy today, this could be the best bargain you’ll find in San Diego County.

Post from: The San Diego Traveler