Rising rent and the overall cost of living are making the dream of owning a home feel more distant than ever. While measures like rent freezes and limits offer some relief for tenants across the state, buying a home can still seem out of reach. For those ready to take the leap in a less traditional way, San Diego County is auctioning over 600 properties.
Types of properties available
San Diego County’s online auction total of 674 properties that have been in tax default for at least five years. Inside that big number, you’ll find a few key categories that matter if you’re interested in participating.
There are about 70 improved properties (meaning developed land with homes, buildings, or other structures) and 66 unimproved parcels, which are basically raw land with no buildings. The rest, a dominant 550 listings, are timeshares. Timeshares aren’t full ownership, but rather a right to use a vacation property for a certain period of the year.
Some improved properties start at just $27,000, while empty lots go for as little as $8,000.You can review the full list of properties here.
When and how to participate
Registration for this year’s March auction is already open and closes on March 3. To register, you’ll go to the county’s online tax sale site. There, you’ll pay a refundable $1,000 deposit plus a $35 non‑refundable processing fee, whilein some cases, certain parcels might require an even higher deposit.
The auction itself runs March 13 through March 18, with bidding starting at 8 AM on the 13th. Then, properties begin closing in staggered intervals starting March 16. Two other things to keep in mind: owners still have a last‑minute chance re-buy their homes or land by paying all back taxes and fees by 5 PM on March 12, the day before the auction begins.
How a property tax auction works
If you’re not familiar with this type of operation, it’s worth noticing that tax deed sales give the county the legal right to sell property when taxes go unpaid for years. Once a property hits the auction list, it’s sold “as‑is”, and the highest bidder is legally obligated to complete the purchase.
Bidding happens online and is competitive. There’s no walking through models or open houses, and no inspections are included. If you win, you’re expected to pay in full within a few business days after the auction ends, usually within about five days.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most title companies won’t insure the title until a year after the deed is recorded, and the county warns buyers not to make any improvements in that first year. So even if the price looks low at first glance, there are real risks and extra work involved, as KFI reports.
To learn more about the auction process, please check San Diego County’s official Treasure Tax Collection website.