Tax Sale

Dale Sweet sent out the first tax sale list of the year. If you’re interested at all in bidding on properties in the city auctioned for delinquent taxes, you should be on his mailing list.

I like to map it to get a visual and share with friends. It’s pretty crazy to see all the parcels pinned across St. Louis. This month, I am looking at 146 parcels that will be auctioned off to the higher bid should their owner fail to pay at least the oldest year of back taxes.

All of the properties not purchased at auction will be added to the LRA’s catalog, which means the almost certain decline it was in at the time will become a free fall. For this reason, I’m happy to see more and more people coming to the auctions, and I continue to share with anyone who cares to listen.

The St. Louis City Tax Sale is unique from most places — when the property is sold the judgement is final, there is no right of redemption. I’m sure this is necessitated by the massive vacancy property in St. Louis. The city wants to keep these properties in circulation, hopefully in the hands of owners who can maintain them, and off the public ledger.

I have successfully bid and won once on property at Tax Sale, two years ago. The first lot we anticipated farming on went for the opening bid. Vacant land typically isn’t even bid on, and goes straight to the LRA. So if you have a personal desire for urban farming, or any other use in need of vacant land, try this out.