Frequently Asked Questions

The tax auction has converted to online only and is usually held in the summer. For more information, contact Steuben County Finance Office at 607-664-2488.

For detailed information on tax-foreclosed properties, including photographs and pertinent information, visit the Tax Auction page.

The tax auction has converted to online only. Please visit our Tax Auction page, for the most current information.

The tax auction has converted to online only and lasts for 7 days. Please visit our Tax Auction page for more details.

Yes, books may be purchased at the Steuben County Finance Office or you can visit our Tax Auction page.

Yes, there is a $50 minimum bid. Please visit the Tax Auction page for more details.

Yes, view the Tax Auction page for the Notice to Bidders & Terms of Sale.

Should a prospective bidder not have the ability to participate in the online auction format, they are encouraged to contact the auctioneer as soon as practical. Any such circumstances shall be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Reasonable accommodations shall be made to allow participation in the auction and to facilitate the submission of bids.

After a foreclosure, there is a public sale and transfer of the property (auction). The money from the public sale and transfer is used to pay any liens or judgments against the property that the court finds are valid and take priority over the prior owner's interests – for example, unpaid mortgage loans or tax liens. After all these valid liens and judgments are paid, any money that is left over from the public sale and transfer of the property is called "surplus monies."

https://www.nycourts.gov/forms/foreclosure/

Surplus monies may be claimed by a:

• prior owner (person who owned the property before the foreclosure and sale)
• judgment creditor (someone who has a docketed, unpaid judgment against the property)
• lien holder (someone who has a valid, unpaid lien against the property)

https://www.nycourts.gov/forms/foreclosure/