Guilford Delinquent Property Tax Sale Information
Date: August 25, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Guilford Town Office
Procedure: Property will be sold to the highest bidder. If there are no other bidders the Town itself may bid. Bidders must register prior to bidding.
Minimum Bid: Total taxes owed to the Town of Guilford, plus costs. These costs include penalties and interest, and legal, recording, notice, and publication fees.
Payment: The high bidder must pay AT the sale with cash or a certified check.
Redemption: The owner or any lien holder has one year to redeem the property, with the exception of the IRS. If the IRS has a lien on the property, they will have one year plus 120 days to redeem. A redemption warning notice will be given to the delinquent tax payer 90 to 120 days prior to the end of the redemption period as required by 32 V.S.A § 5260(c).
Other Taxes: During the redemption period, tax bill(s) will be sent to the owner of record. Those taxes, unless paid by the owner, will be due, along with penalty and interest charges, after transfer. We do not recommend that the buyer pay those taxes until after taking title to the property. If the owner redeems during the redemption year, there is no requirement to pay back anything other than the purchase price and interest.
Deed to Bidder: If the owner does not redeem within a year, the high bidder will be issued a tax collector’s deed.
Interest: The buyer will be paid 1% per month interest, up to 12%, on the bid price if owner redeems within the redemption period. The interest is collected from the owner at the time of redemption.
Title to Property: Per Vermont law, when the time for redemption has passed, the tax collector shall execute to the purchaser a tax collector’s deed which conveys to the purchaser title against the person for whose tax the property was sold and those claiming under him or her. There are no warranties of title which go with the tax collector’s deed, which is essentially a quit-claim deed without any representations as to the title. Therefore, the Town encourages prospective purchasers to thoroughly research the title to the property. The Vermont Department of Taxes also takes the position that its liens are not extinguished by the tax sale. Consequently, any purchaser should be aware of this official stance of the tax department. Finally, title insurance companies are reluctant to insure tax sale properties on the basis of newly proposed title standards being suggested by the Vermont Bar Association. The inability to obtain title insurance may affect the ability to obtain financing on a particular property after the tax collector’s deed is delivered and recorded. Questions about title insurance are best directed to your attorney.