The start of online bidding for tax-forfeited properties is having a slow start.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said so far only 10 bids have been submitted for the current bidding process featuring 172 parcels of land in Pearl River County.
Bidding on the properties began on July 27, and the deadline is Aug. 24 at 5 p.m.
This auction is the first time the Secretary of State’s office has offered online bidding. Other online bids are set to follow, including one for 300 parcels in Jackson, Hosemann said.
The process to submit a bid online is straightforward.
“It’s really easy to do,” Hosemann said.
The online auction includes aerial pictures with the listing to show where the property is within the subdivision, helping the bidder get a better idea of what they are bidding on.
Bids can also be submitted through the mail or hand delivered to the Secretary of State’s office in Jackson before the deadline.
By implementing the online process, Hosemann’s office can now hold multiple auctions. Previously, it would take weeks to conduct an auction with paper bids due to the need to open and categorize each bid. Hosemann said that the online process removes the extra steps.
Each year the state of Mississippi auctions off between 1,500 to 3,000 tax forfeiture properties.
“Our goal here is to put them back in private hands so taxes can be collected,” Hosemann said.
Once this auction is finalized, Hosemann said another is planned for more property within Pearl River County.
The property up for auction right now in the county entails 172 parcels with a total approximate value of $213,811 surrounding Lake Hillsdale. The properties are within the subdivisions of Lake Vista, Lake Catfish and Lake Happiness, according to a press release from Hosemann’s office.
Anyone who submitted a winning bid will be notified by email after the auction closes. They have 15 days after notification to submit payment, the release states.
View the auction by visiting http://www.sos.ms.gov/Public-Lands/Pages/Tax-Forfeited-Auction.aspx