Houghton, Iowa Delinquent Tax Sale Property


The collection of real estate taxes for properties located in Houghton Iowa is a major priority for the Lee County Iowa Tax Collector. Real estate taxes fund local services such as public education, police protection and medical services.

Delinquent property taxes create a serious cash-flow problem for Lee County Iowa. If Lee County Iowa is unable to collect property taxes, they are also unable to fund important government services like police protection, public schooling, and emergency medical services.

Without the tax revenue generated from real estate located in Houghton Iowa, Lee County Iowa would literally go bankrupt.

To solve this cash-flow problem, Lee County Iowa allows investors to come in and pay off a portion of these delinquent property taxes.

In return, Lee County Iowa gives investors Iowa tax lien certificates. A tax lien certificate is a document indicating ownership of a real estate tax lien. A tax lien is simply a claim for taxes.

A Iowa tax lien certificate transfers all the rights that come with being the owner of the real estate tax lien from Lee County Iowa to the investor.

When purchasers buy tax lien certificates in Iowa, they are paying someone else's delinquent property taxes. What's more, Iowa actually gives purchasers the right to receive all of the tax money due - including fees, interest, and/or penalties.

To encourage delinquent owners to pay their past-due property taxes, the state of Iowa charges up to 24% per annum on the amount paid to satisfy the delinquent taxes, which is passed directly to the tax lien certificate purchaser.

The sale of tax lien certificates is a solution to a complex problem Lee County Iowa recovers lost revenue needed to fund local services, the property owner gets more time to satisfy their delinquent property tax bill and the purchaser receives a tax lien certificate which is real estate secured and offers up to 24% per annum mandated by Iowa law.

For "risk-sensitive" investors Iowa tax lien certificates are an attractive alternative to traditional investments choices. With tax lien certificates, purchasers are investing their money with Lee County Iowa and when the Lee County Iowa Tax Collector collects the past due taxes, they send purchasers a check, returning what they paid to purchase the Iowa tax lien certificate plus applicable penalties, interest, and/or late fees.

Iowa tax lien certificates are attractive in several ways. First, the rise and fall of interest rates has no effect on Iowa tax lien certificates. Unlike the stock market, interest rates on Iowa tax lien certificates are mandated by Iowa law.

In addition, Iowa tax lien certificates are secured by real estate. So if purchasers do not receive what they paid to purchase the Iowa tax lien certificate plus interest and/or penalties within the law mandated redemption period, the purchaser acquires title to the property free and clear of all liens created prior to the sale.

So in review, there are generally two outcomes with the purchase of a tax lien certificate; the purchaser will either receive what was paid to satisfy the delinquent property taxes PLUS up to 24% per annum, or Lee County Iowa has the legal right to transfer them the property - often with no mortgage!

Once they own the property they can do whatever they like; sell it, rent it for monthly cash-flow, even move in (often with no mortgage payment).

As with any investment, there is always an element of risk. Even if the tax sale process is written into Iowa law, mandated by Iowa law, and regulated by Iowa law, there is still a chance of purchasers incurring substantial loss. It is recommended that anyone considering buying a tax lien or tax foreclosure property consult properly licensed legal and accounting professionals.

Join the Houghton Iowa Delinquent Tax Sale Discussion.

Below you will find a collection of the latest user questions and comments relating to Tax Lien Certificates on tax-delinquent property located in Houghton Iowa.

Learn about Tax Lien Certificates in other counties or municipalities located in Iowa.

The following is a list of counties located in the state of Iowa. Tax Lien Certificates for properties located in the following counties are sold at Iowa county tax sales.

Learn more about each county's individual tax sale process by clicking on the name of the county for which you are interested from the list below:

County / Municipality:  Population: 
Adair County, IA  8,243
Adams County, IA  4,482
Allamakee County, IA  14,675
Appanoose County, IA  13,721
Audubon County, IA  6,830
Benton County, IA  25,308
Black Hawk County, IA  128,012
Boone County, IA  26,224
Bremer County, IA  23,325
Buchanan County, IA  21,093
Buena Vista County, IA  20,411
Butler County, IA  15,305
Calhoun County, IA  11,115
Carroll County, IA  21,421
Cass County, IA  14,684
Cedar County, IA  18,187
Cerro Gordo County, IA  46,447
Cherokee County, IA  13,035
Chickasaw County, IA  13,095
Clarke County, IA  9,133
Clay County, IA  17,372
Clayton County, IA  18,678
Clinton County, IA  50,149
Crawford County, IA  16,942
Dallas County, IA  40,750
Davis County, IA  8,541
Decatur County, IA  8,689
Delaware County, IA  18,404
Des Moines County, IA  42,351
Dickinson County, IA  16,424
Dubuque County, IA  89,143
Emmet County, IA  11,027
Fayette County, IA  22,008
Floyd County, IA  16,900
Franklin County, IA  10,704
Fremont County, IA  8,010
Greene County, IA  10,366
Grundy County, IA  12,369
Guthrie County, IA  11,353
Hamilton County, IA  16,438
Hancock County, IA  12,100
Hardin County, IA  18,812
Harrison County, IA  15,666
Henry County, IA  20,336
Howard County, IA  9,932
Humboldt County, IA  10,381
Ida County, IA  7,837
Iowa County, IA  15,671
Jackson County, IA  20,296
Jasper County, IA  37,213
Jefferson County, IA  16,181
Johnson County, IA  111,006
Jones County, IA  20,221
Keokuk County, IA  11,400
Kossuth County, IA  17,163
Lee County, IA  38,052
Linn County, IA  191,701
Louisa County, IA  12,183
Lucas County, IA  9,422
Lyon County, IA  11,763
Madison County, IA  14,019
Mahaska County, IA  22,335
Marion County, IA  32,052
Marshall County, IA  39,311
Mills County, IA  14,547
Mitchell County, IA  10,874
Monona County, IA  10,020
Monroe County, IA  8,016
Montgomery County, IA  11,771
Muscatine County, IA  41,722
O'brien County, IA  15,102
Osceola County, IA  7,003
Page County, IA  16,976
Palo Alto County, IA  10,147
Plymouth County, IA  24,849
Pocahontas County, IA  8,662
Polk County, IA  374,601
Pottawattamie County, IA  87,704
Poweshiek County, IA  18,815
Ringgold County, IA  5,469
Sac County, IA  11,529
Scott County, IA  158,668
Shelby County, IA  13,173
Sioux County, IA  31,589
Story County, IA  79,981
Tama County, IA  18,103
Taylor County, IA  6,958
Union County, IA  12,309
Van Buren County, IA  7,809
Wapello County, IA  36,051
Warren County, IA  40,671
Washington County, IA  20,670
Wayne County, IA  6,730
Webster County, IA  40,235
Winnebago County, IA  11,723
Winneshiek County, IA  21,310
Woodbury County, IA  103,877
Worth County, IA  7,909
Wright County, IA  14,334