Real Property FAQ

You complete the registration materials at the auction location. The doors open an hour before the auction to allow people to register. No preregistration is required.

The real property auctions are held in one of the Washington County locations in Hillsboro, Oregon. The time, date and location of the auction is advertised at least 30 days prior to the auction date.

There is no pre-registration for the real property auction. Registration occurs at the door the day of the auction.

Washington County refers to over the counter sales as private sales. Real property that did not sale at a previous real property auction may be sold through a private sale

No, the mortgage foreclosure auctions are not conducted by Washington County.  Mortgage foreclosure real property auctions are conducted by a Trustee appointed by the Mortgage Company.  Typically, the only involvement Washington County has with the mortgage foreclosures is recording of the documents.  The Washington County, Department of Assessment & Taxation, Recording Division, can be contacted at 503.846.8752 regarding a mortgage foreclosure property. You can also visit this department and do research on the mortgage foreclosures.  The Department of Assessment & Taxation, Recording Division, is located at 155 North First Avenue, Room 130, Hillsboro, OR.

Click on the Real Property Auction page and on the bottom of the page you can submit the form to be added to the email notification list.  The County will send out an email approximately 1 month before the auction.

You must register to bid and receive a bidder’s number. Bidding begins at the minimum bid established in notice of sale and continues incrementally until no more bids are offered. The successful bidder must provide the required deposit at the time of sale and sign a Certificate of Sale Agreement. The balance of the purchase price is due at closing, which is typically within 30 to 60 days from the date of the auction.

The minimum bid for tax properties at auction is typically established at 70 percent of the assessed Real Market Value (RMV) for the property. 

The auctions are held whenever there is property available for sale.  Currently, there is no specific date when the auction occurs. 

If the property does not receive any offers at public auction, the county may choose to hold the property for the next real property auction, or it may be sold through a private sale. 

Washington County accepts cash, cashier's check or certified funds for the required deposit and for the remaining amount due upon the completion of sale.

No, the State of Oregon is a Tax Deed state rather than a tax lien state.  Only the property owner and any lienholder(s) have the right to redeem the property from tax foreclosure.

No, the previous owner of a tax foreclosed parcel of land does not have any rights to the property.  All rights are relinquished once the deed to the property transferred to Washington County.