Applications for Tax Deed are initiated by Certificate Holders and made to the Okaloosa County Tax Collector, located at 1250 N. Eglin Parkway, Shalimar, Florida 32579, by phone at 850-651-7300 or on the Tax Collector website.
This is a complex question that this office cannot answer. Please seek competent legal advice before bidding on a piece of property. Records can be researched on the Clerk of Court Official Records website.
Tax Deed sales are conducted online. Individuals wishing to participate must register with Bid4Assets. Prior to the tax deed sale, bidder must have sufficient funds in their bidder account, totaling a minimum of 5% of the highest bid they intend to place on any property. Deposits must be completed by 4:00 pm CST on the day preceding the auction. For assistance, please contact [email protected].
At the date and time specified for the sale, each item is auctioned in order of tax certificate number. The property is sold to the highest qualified bidder.
Minimum bid amounts include back taxes, interest, and other miscellaneous statutory charges. Bidding continues until no further increases are submitted. The high bidder is awarded the right to purchase the property.
The property owner or mortgage holder may redeem the property from the tax deed sale by paying the amount owed. The total redemption amount is collected/paid to the office of the Tax Collector (most of the properties advertised for sale will be redeemed and will not be auctioned).
Okaloosa County does not guarantee the title in any way. Bidders should seek legal advice to evaluate title quality. All properties sold at a tax deed sale qualify under “buyer beware”. The purchase of a Tax Deed does not warrant or guarantee clear and marketable title. Note: Most title insurance companies require the property to go through a quiet title action for the property to be able to have title insurance issued on property purchased by Tax Deed. Consult your attorney for more information on Quiet Title actions.
Section 197.562, F.S., states: “Any person, firm, corporation, or county that is the grantee of any tax deed under this law shall be entitled to the immediate possession of the lands described in the deed. If demand for possession is refused, the purchaser may apply to the circuit court for a writ of assistance upon 5 days’ notice directed to the person refusing to deliver possession. Upon service of the responsive pleadings, if any, the matter shall proceed as in chancery cases. If the court finds for the applicant, an order shall be issued by the court directing the sheriff to put the grantee in possession of the lands.” Consult your attorney for more information on writ of assistance actions.
If the property is not a homestead property, the amount of the opening bid equals the total of unpaid taxes and interest, the Tax Collector’s administration fees, the Clerk of Circuit Court administration fees and expenditure fees required by Florida Statute to bring the property to delinquent tax sale. If the property is homestead property, one half of the assessed value from the tax roll is added to the above amounts for the total opening bid amount.
Tax deeds are issued and recorded by the Clerk’s Office once final payment is received. You should have your Tax Deed within 7 to 10 days from the sale date.
Overbid surplus funds are held by this office and are paid to satisfy any government lien(s) to the extent possible. Notices of Surplus Funds are mailed to all interested parties in accordance with Section 197.82, F.S. After expiration of the claim period, either an assignment of claim priority is determined, and disbursements made, or, if no claims have been received, the funds (or any remaining balance thereof) are transferred to the State of Florida, Department of Revenue. In some cases, if priority is unable to be determined, an “interpleader action” must be brought before the judiciary for a court determination. All court costs and attorney fees for processing an interpleader action are debited from the surplus funds. Each online file contains specific overbid surplus fund information. Please review the online file for details.
If you would like to make a claim please complete a Claim to Surplus Proceeds form and return it to the Clerk of Courts office.
Tax certificate information can be obtained from the Tax Collector’s Office located at 1250 Eglin Parkway, Suite 101, Shalimar, FL 32579. The phone number for the Tax Collector’s Delinquent Tax department is 850-651-7604.
Properties that have not been redeemed prior to sale, and that receive no bids at the sale, are struck to the applicant, who is the holder of the tax certificate. If these properties are not paid for within 30 days, they will be added to the list of Lands Available for taxes.
When a property does not sell, it becomes available for purchase for the outstanding taxes due. The Lands Available List for taxes is available on the Tax Deed Sales page.