The complete timeline from first missed property tax through county foreclosure auction.
Property taxes for the previous year are due. If unpaid by March 1, they become delinquent. Interest begins accruing at 1% per month plus an additional 3% penalty. The county sends delinquency notices.
If the first-year taxes remain unpaid by October, the property is forfeited to the county treasurer. This is not yet a loss of ownership — it's a lien against the property. Additional fees and interest continue to accrue.
Second-year taxes become delinquent. The county may now begin foreclosure proceedings. The property may be included in a judgment of foreclosure filed in circuit court.
Under Michigan's General Property Tax Act, the county treasurer may file a petition for foreclosure. A show cause hearing is scheduled. The court enters a judgment of foreclosure. The property is offered at public auction. If not sold, title passes to the county. Michigan's process typically takes 2-3 years from first delinquency to loss of property rights.
Critical point: At any stage before the foreclosure judgment is final, selling the property can satisfy the tax debt and stop the process. A cash sale closes in as little as 7 days — fast enough to stop tax foreclosure even when time is short.
Sell your property for cash, pay off the tax debt at closing, and stop the interest from piling up. Close in 7 days.
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