OR
The investor buys the property itself at sale. No redemption period usually follows, so title transfers directly.
Sale type
Tax deed
Redemption
24 mo
Interest / penalty
Flat rate · 1.3333%
Sale timing
Varies
Rules in plain English
Sale type
Tax deed
The investor buys the property itself at sale. No redemption period usually follows, so title transfers directly.
ORS 312.200
“The properties not redeemed within the two-year period prescribed by ORS 312.120 shall be deeded to the county by the tax collector”official source ↗
Redemption period
24 mo
24 months (2 years)
ORS 312.120
“shall be held by the county for the period of two years from and after the date of the judgment of foreclosure, unless sooner redeemed”official source ↗
Interest / penalty
Flat rate · 1.3333%
1.3333% flat per month.
ORS 311.505
“(2) Interest shall begin to accrue, and shall be collected, at the rate of one and one-third percent per month, or fraction of a month, until paid”official source ↗
Bid method
Highest bid
The parcel or lien goes to the highest bidder at auction.
ORS 312.520
“The property shall be sold to the highest bidder at auction, provided the bid exceeds the outstanding taxes and other allowable costs chargeable against the property”official source ↗
Sale schedule
Varies
Sale timing varies by county.
ORS 312.520
“After the expiration of the statutory redemption period under ORS 312.120 or 312.122, the county may elect to retain the property for public purposes or transfer title to the property to a nonprofit organization”official source ↗
Bidder process
- 01Confirm the county has foreclosed: real property is subject to foreclosure once three years have elapsed from the earliest delinquency date, and title is deeded to the county after the redemption period (ORS 312.010(1), 312.200)
- 02Watch for the county's disposition of the property: a former primary residence is listed with a real estate broker or agent, while other property goes to a public high-bid auction (ORS 312.520(1)-(3))
- 03Find the auction advertisement, which must run in a multiple listing service for at least 30 days before the auction; the auction may include real-time online bidding (ORS 312.520(3)(c)(A), (3)(e))
- 04Bid at least the minimum starting bid: two-thirds of the property's fair market value, or, at a re-auction after a failed sale, the outstanding taxes and allowable costs (ORS 312.520(3)(c)(C), (4))
- 05Win as the highest bidder, provided the bid exceeds the outstanding taxes and other allowable costs (ORS 312.520(3)(b))
- 06Close the sale with the county and take the deed; the county deposits the gross proceeds and determines any surplus for the former owner (ORS 312.520(8), 312.530)
- Registration
- Not documented
- Registration mode
- Not documented
- Registration deadline
- Not documented
- Registration fee
- Not documented
- Deposit required
- Not documented
- Deposit amount
- Not documented
- Deposit percent
- Not documented
- Deposit refundable
- Not documented
- Sale format
- hybrid
- Payment deadline
- Not documented
- Payment methods
- unknown
- Residency required
- Not documented
- The winning bid must exceed the outstanding taxes and other allowable costs chargeable against the property (ORS 312.520(3)(b))
ORS 312.010(1)
“real property within this state is subject to foreclosure for delinquent taxes whenever three years have elapsed from the earliest date of delinquency of taxes levied and charged thereon”official source ↗
ORS 312.520(3)(a)
“The county shall conduct a public, high-bid auction for sale of property if: (A) After three attempts, the county is unable to enter into an agreement with a real estate broker or agent for the sale of the property in accordance with subsection (2)(b) of this section; (B) The real estate broker or agent described in subsection (2)(b) of this section is unable to sell the property within 12 months after listing the property; or (C) The property is not property described”official source ↗
ORS 312.520(3)(b)
“The property shall be sold to the highest bidder at auction, provided the bid exceeds the outstanding taxes and other allowable costs chargeable against the property as determined under ORS 312.530 (4)”official source ↗
ORS 312.520(3)(c)(A)
“Advertisements in a multiple listing service for at least 30 days prior to the date of the auction”official source ↗
ORS 312.520(3)(c)(C)
“A minimum starting bid of two-thirds of the property’s fair market value as determined under paragraph (d) of this subsection”official source ↗
ORS 312.520(3)(e)
“The auction may include an online bidding process in which bids are received electronically over the Internet in real time”official source ↗
ORS 312.520(4)
“For property that fails to sell at auction under subsection (3) of this section, the county shall conduct a public high-bid auction that meets the requirements of subsection (3)(c) of this section except that the minimum starting bid shall equal the outstanding taxes and other allowable costs chargeable against the property”official source ↗
ORS 312.520(2)(b)
“The county shall list such property for sale with a real estate broker or agent who does not hold an elected or appointed office and is not employed by any government entity”official source ↗
ORS 312.520(8)
“Upon sale of real property foreclosed under this chapter, the county treasurer shall deposit the gross amount of the sales proceeds in a separate, interest-bearing account until the amount of the surplus has been determined. Interest earned on the proceeds in the account shall be included in the amount to be distributed”official source ↗
Notes
ORS 312.120 (2-year redemption, 5% penalty); ORS 311.505(2) (1-1/3%/month). | Prose: deed | interest 1-1/3% per month on delinquent taxes; 5% penalty plus interest on redemption (ORS 312.120(2)) | 2 years after judgment of foreclosure, unless sooner redeemed | public high-bid auction to highest bidder (after county holds property) | varies by county (auctioned only after redemption period if not retained/transferred)