If I purchase a property at a tax sale, can the owner come back later and reclaim the property?
No, property owners have until 5 p.m. of the day before the auction to redeem the property by paying delinquent taxes, legal fees, and assessments. Successful bidders at the auction obtain title to the property and the prior owner has no legal claim on the property.

The property is sold in gross and not by the acre and is sold free of all claims of any creditor, person, or entity, including those claims of beneficiaries under any deed of trust or mortgage, as provided by Virginia Code Ann. § 58.1-3967 (1950, as amended), but subject to all objections, rights, reservations, leases, covenants, conditions, restrictions, easements, encroachments, overlaps, overhangs, deficiency in quantity, all questions of boundaries, location and acreage which a current and accurate survey would disclose, roadways, unrecorded easements, and any other matter, recorded or unrecorded, as may lawfully affect the property or which would be disclosed by an inspection and accurate survey of the premises. No warranty is made as to the insurability of title.

Show All Answers

1. Who can purchase property at a tax sale?
2. If I purchase a property at a tax sale, will I receive title to the property?
3. If I purchase a property which is encumbered by a mortgage, taxes or weed abatement liens, am I responsible for these debts?
4. If I purchase a property at a tax sale, do I have to pay the back taxes?
5. If I purchase a property at a tax sale, can the owner come back later and reclaim the property?
6. What is the minimum bid I should expect to pay?
7. Does the City of Roanoke offer a financing program or discounts?
8. If I purchase property at an auction and later become dissatisfied with the property, can I cancel my bid and get a refund of the deposit or purchase price?
9. What type of deed do I receive following confirmation of the sale?
10. Will I be able to get title insurance on a property I purchase at an auction?
11. Can a previous property owner reclaim property after I have purchased it at the auction?