Auction Process

Online Auction

The 2022 Personal Property Tax Distraint Auction will be held online. Registration, Buying Guides, and Instructional Videos can be found at www.bid4assets.com. Deposit Deadline is November 29, 2022 at 1:30pm Pacific. Bidding will open December 5, 2022 at 12pm Pacific and closes at various times on December 6, 2022.

Terms and Conditions for 2022 Online Auction Tax Foreclosure Online Sale.

Researching Properties

For more information regarding how to research a tax foreclosure, tax-title, or county surplus parcels, see Tax Auction Research.

How Long Does It Take To Receive a Deed?

A deed will be issued within sixty days of the sale. Deeds are forwarded to the Whatcom County Auditor's Office for recording. Then mailed to the address provided in the bidder registration. The type of deed issued varies.

  • A tax deed will be issued for parcels purchased at tax foreclosure sales.
  • A Treasurer's deed will be issued for parcels purchased at tax-title sales.
  • A warranty deed will be issued for parcels purchased at surplus property sales only when the County holds clear title to the parcel being sold. Otherwise, a Quit Claim deed will be issued for purchase of County owned surplus property.

Tax deeds, Treasurer's deeds, and quit claim deeds provide the purchaser no guarantees. There can be clouded title or other problems which the County is neither aware of nor responsible for to the purchaser.