SanFrancisco.MyTaxSale.com - Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I see the list of properties in the sale?
If I have questions about a specific property, who do I contact?
Who do I contact if I have a question about how to use the website?
Is there a Low-Value Exemption?
Will it cost me anything to participate?
What equipment or software do I need to be able to participate?
How do I get started if I want to bid?
What is an Affiliate?
How do I submit my deposit?
What is an ACH debit?
What is the auction format?
What is proxy bidding?
What does "Withdrawn" mean on the bid page?
When can I place my bids?
What happens to my deposit if I don't win any property?
I won. What do I do now?
When do bidders have to pay the amount due for their purchases?
How do I make final payment?
What happens if I fail to pay the balance within the period indicated?
How soon will I receive the tax deed?

Where can I see the list of properties in the sale?

You can view the list of items for sale by visiting Public Auction | Treasurer & Tax Collector (sftreasurer.org)

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If I have questions about a specific property, who do I contact?

You may submit a question electronically at http://sftreasurer.org/help-center or call 311 (415-701-2311 if outside SF).

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Who do I contact if I have a question about how to use the website?

Representatives of Grant Street Group are available via email (DeedAuction@GrantStreet.com) or via phone at (877) 274-9320 between 5:00am and 5:00pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday to provide instruction and answer questions regarding use of the website.

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Is there a Low-Value Exemption?

Beginning with the 2023-2024 assessment year, all real property, as defined in California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 104, as amended from time to time, with a total full cash value of $500 or less, shall be exempt from property taxation and shall not be entered on the secured or unsecured property tax roll, as provided in California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 155.20, as amended from time to time.

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Will it cost me anything to participate?

Registration on the web site is free. However, you will need to comply with the deposit and final payment requirements if you intend to bid. Please refer to Terms of Sale for additional details.

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What equipment or software do I need to be able to participate?
A bidder must have internet access and a web browser with the following versions:
- Mozilla Firefox - latest version
- Google Chrome - latest version
- Microsoft Edge - latest version
The auction site will not support older browsers.

There is free computer access at public libraries located throughout the County or located at City Hall, Room 140 Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm.
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How do I get started if I want to bid?
- Read all information and view the "Help" documents under Tax Sale Instructions
- Register on the web site
- Add Affiliates for the name(s) you want to have the deed issued to
- Thoroughly research any properties you may be interested in
- Make sure you have funds available to pay for any properties you may win
- Submit the required deposit on the web site before the deadline
- Enter your bids
- Enter vesting information as you want it to appear on the Tax Deed
- Pay for your purchases
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What is an Affiliate?

Affiliates are parties who you intend to have the deed issued to. You can add the names of your affiliated persons or entities at the bottom of the registration page when you first register, or as needed using the "My Account" page after you have logged in. You will need to designate which party in the list to have the deed issued to when a sale closes. If you do not select a name the deed will be issued in your registration name.

Once the auction is closed, you will be asked to complete the vesting information. The names available for you to choose from are the names in your Affiliates list. If you need to add a name, go to the "My Account" page. You will be asked to submit vesting information for all properties that you have won.

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How do I submit my deposit?
You must submit a $5,000 advance deposit ($1,000 for re-offer) and a non-refundable $35 bid deposit processing fee by the deadline.

To submit your deposit online via e-Check (ACH/Electronic Debit):
- Log in with your user ID and password
- Click the "My Payments" link on the left hand tool bar and Click "Submit Deposit"
- Enter your banking information as instructed on the screen and click "Submit".
You will receive an email confirmation of your payment submission.

Deposit refunds are not processed before the auction occurs. All deposit refunds will be processed within ten (10) business days of the auction closing, and will be made to the same account used to submit the deposit. The $35 processing fee is non-refundable.
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What is an ACH debit?

An ACH debit is an electronic funds transfer from your bank account, initiated by the Treasurer & Tax Collector with your prior authorization. For more information on ACH, please visit the NACHA, the Electronic Payments Association, at www.nacha.org.

Funds must be drawn from a US financial institution. Some types of money market, brokerage, and/or trust accounts cannot accept ACH debits. Please check with your financial institution prior to initiating payment on the web site.

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What is the auction format?

The auction is structured to be an Open/Proxy bid auction as described in the FAQs below. In an Open Auction you only see the current "Best Bid" submitted per parcel as shown in the "Best Bid" column of the bid page. If you submit a bid on a parcel, you will see your status relative to that bid, meaning either "Leading" (you currently have the best bid), or "Trailing" (your best submitted bid is lower than another bidder). Each bidder in the auction submits a 'max bid' and the system will proxy bid that bid against all other submitted max bids in increments of $100 until their max bid amount is equaled or exceeded. You cannot see what other people have submitted as max bids; you can only see the current leading bid.

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What is proxy bidding?

Proxy bidding is a form of competitive sale in which bidders input the maximum bid they are willing to pay for a property they would like to purchase. The system will then automatically enter bids on their behalf, as necessary, up to their maximum bid.

For example, if the opening bid for a parcel is $17,050 and a bidder enters a "Maximum Bid" of $30,000, the system will enter an opening bid on behalf of that bidder in the amount of $17,050. If a new bidder then enters a bid of $25,000, the system will proxy bid for the first bidder and he/she will maintain the leader at $25,100. If the second bidder then increases their max bid to $35,000 the system will proxy that bid and they will become the new leader at $30,100.

If you enter a maximum bid that is the same as another lead bid, the first bidder to submit that amount would be deemed the leader. The trailing bidder would be notified with a message on the screen that "your bid was submitted successfully, but you trail an earlier bidder at the same price". The non-leader would have to increase his/her maximum bid to become the leader.

All bids submitted on this site are submitted as proxy bids.

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What does "Withdrawn" mean on the bid page?

"Withdrawn" in the auction listing means that a property has been withdrawn and is not available for bidding. Properties may be withdrawn from the auction from time to time and the auction site will be updated daily to reflect any such changes.

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When can I place my bids?

All bidders with a valid deposit may begin placing bids on the opening day of the sale. See the Auction Schedule for the exact dates of upcoming sales.

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What happens to my deposit if I don't win any property?

Refunds of the bid deposit shall be made by Grant Street Group to unsuccessful bidders within ten (10) business days after the close of the property tax auction.

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I won. What do I do now?
On the "Bidding Summary" page you will see a summary of all the items you have won including your winning bid and total amount due as well as a checklist to finalize settlement of the auctions.

You must complete the following steps:
- Enter Vesting Information - The "ENTER VESTING INFORMATION" link takes you to a page displaying the list of properties that you have won. You can check off the property you would like to provide the Vesting Information for, or you can click on multiple properties that you would like to submit the same vesting information for. The names you have previously entered as affiliates will appear as choices in the "Name" dropdown, but you can also select "Other" to provide a new name to add to your list. Please note that all vesting information needs to be submitted within 48 hours of the close of the auction.
- Make Final Payment - Click on "FINAL PAYMENT" to view a screen with instructions on how you can make your final payment. As the winning bidder, you must pay the following costs; your winning bid amount plus a deed recording fee and the California documentary transfer tax. Additional details can be found in the Terms of Sale.
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When do bidders have to pay the amount due for their purchases?

Final payment in full must be received by the San Francisco Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector within five (5) business days after the close of the property tax auction. Please see the Terms of Sale for additional details.

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How do I make final payment?
You can ONLY make your final payment by:
- Wire transfer
- State or federally chartered bank-issued cashier's check or money order made payable to "SF Tax Collector" and mailed to Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector, PO Box 7426, San Francisco, CA 94120-7426.
You may also pay in person at City Hall, Room 140 Monday through Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm located at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Please note: Payment by personal check, traveler's check, or credit card shall not be accepted
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What happens if I fail to pay the balance within the period indicated?

The properties offered at each auction shall be sold to the highest bidder. The highest bidder shall pay in full within five (5) business days from the close of each auction. In the event the highest bidder on an auction fails to comply with these Settlement Requirements, then that bidder's deposit shall be forfeited to the County. Winning bidders who do not submit timely payment on any auction item won will forfeit their deposit to the County and may be banned from future sales.

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How soon will I receive the tax deed?

The successful bidder will receive the tax deed after making payment in full and after the tax deed has been recorded. Tax Deeds will be recorded as soon as possible; originals will be mailed within four to six weeks of the end of the auction to the Owner Contact Information address provided with vesting information.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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