Unpaid properties head to auction block

BALDWIN CO., Ala. - Friday morning real estate agent Deborah Benton uploaded a news alert to her website, it read, "The Baldwin County Sales Tax Auction will be held June 16."

Benton says the key is to hurry. She tells us one of her condo clients almost lost her property just because she misinterpreted the condo agreement.

"The woman had understood or thought she understood that the property taxes were being paid in the homeowner fees. That's not true and so they had to scramble to buy the property back," said Benton.

This year, roughly 4,500 properties are on the list. And that's a big jump from last year's numbers which had roughly 2,500.

If the property taxes are not paid on time the properties will be sold to the highest bidder. "You have up to three years to buy it back, but you have to pay a 12-percent penalty," explained Benton.

That's why she encourages property owners to pay the tax bill. "If you have to borrow the money from family, whatever you have to do, you need to get it paid."

Log on to www.HomeownersCrisis.com for information on paying property taxes.

To see properties, click here. http://www.co.baldwin.al.us/uploads/legal3.txt