The overflow crowd at the County Commission chambers had the chance to witness a successful Barton County tax sale Tuesday morning as the properties sold one by one.

In all, there were over 30 bidders vying for the 26 tracts being sold for delinquent taxes. By the end of the sale, all the tracts had sold.

“In all, it was a very good sale,” County Treasurer Jim Jordan said. Taxes owed on all parcels totaled $76,680.14 and $44,768.66 was recouped by the county.

Also, $31,911.48 will be sent back to taxpayers or lien holders. This is money generated by the sale above what was owed on individual properties.

At the sale

Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir served as the auctioneer. As photos of each property was projected onto a screen, interested buyers in the capacity crowd flashed their bid numbers.

“I am not an auctioneer,” he said. “This will be a slow-motion auction.”

County Commissioner Kenny Schremmer was set to handle the duties, but was unable to due to illness.

Tracts with houses on them sold for as much as $11,000 and as little as $4,000. Vacant lots sold for as little as $5.

Prior to the sale, those who wanted to bid needed to register, County Counselor Carey Hipp said, noting bidders had to eligible. Those with delinquent real estate taxes or with an interest in the parcels being sold could not take part.

The successful bidders could not convey ownership of the property back to anyone with an interest in such property for a period of 10 years. In the event this would happen, all back taxes and penalties would become due and payable in full.

Buyers were responsible for the 2018 taxes due. The balance is written off by the county.

At the end of the sale, a certificate of sale was issued to the purchasers who also had to pay to file the deed with the Registrar of Deeds Office, Hipp said. Next, the Barton County District Court must certify the sale and direct the sheriff to prepare sheriff’s deeds.

These will then be forwarded to and recorded by the Register of Deeds Office. After this process which can take a few weeks, the deeds will be sent to the buyer.

 “I hope you all researched the properties you are going to bid on today,” Hipp said. The tracts were sold as-is and the county had no responsibility for their condition.

“The county is simply selling the property for unredeemed taxes as authorized by statute,” she said. 

In addition, Bellendir said if there was any “personal property,” such as vehicles or mobile homes on the properties, they were not included in the sale. It is up to the buyer to dispose of them.

And, he said, “if you inherit a tenant, you can’t just kick them out.” There are laws that protect the tenants and he advised seeking legal counsel.

As of last Friday, there were 33 tracts on the sale. However, some were redeemed prior to the noon Monday deadline.