Luzerne County Courthouse File photo Luzerne County’s delinquent tax auction hit another record sales high, with bidders paying $4.6 million to purchase 164 parcels last week, according to a post-sale report.
Veteran bidder Glenn Keller again purchased the most properties at the annual first-stage sale — 21 parcels for approximately $758,300, said the report compiled by Elite Revenue Solutions, the county’s tax-claim operator.
The county’s previous overall auction high was a year ago, when bidders bought 167 parcels for $4.357 million. All figures include realty transfer tax.
A year before that, in September 2022, auction sales surpassed the $3 million mark for the first time.
County auctions have been attracting more bidders in recent years due to increased public awareness about the opportunity and heightened interest in potential bargains that may not be available through the traditional real estate market, officials have said.
Elite Revenue representative Sean Shamany said approximately 450 bidders submitted required paperwork to register for last week’s auction.
“There are more people bidding now. It’s very competitive,” Shamany said. “It’s been a very active season.”
Officially called an “upset” sale, the first-stage auction sets minimum bids at the amount of delinquent taxes and municipal liens owed. Bidders also must accept responsibility for any outstanding mortgages and non-municipal liens attached to their purchases.
As a result, taxing bodies will recoup all taxes owed on the 164 parcels sold last week, Shamany said.
The remaining 240 parcels not purchased last week will advance to a free-and-clear “judicial” sale in 2025, when delinquent taxes and liens are deducted from the minimum bid.
Properties were eligible for last week’s auction if the owners owe taxes dating back two years, or from 2022.
Approximately 3,274 parcels were eligible when Elite Revenue started compiling the sale list in June.
To avoid a sale, owners could pay everything owed through 2022, enter into a standard payment plan if they haven’t defaulted on one the prior three years or obtain temporary removal through a court order or bankruptcy.
Thousands paid, as evidenced by the drastic reduction from those initially eligible and the 400 that actual ended up in the auction, Shamany said.
“Our business is not to sell parcels. Our business is to collect taxes,” Shamany said.
As with all sales, Shamany had urged novice bidders to fully research prospective purchases, particularly liens and mortgages.
“We always stress that and hope everyone did their due diligence so they are not getting a surprise,” he said.
Top buyer
A Jim Thorpe-based investor, Keller has said he and his team physically visit each prospective purchase site to get a feel for the neighborhood and condition of structures based on an exterior view, as opposed to relying on online real estate platforms that may have dated or inaccurate information.
Court records also must be searched to identify liens or estate issues that will fall on the successful bidder, he had said.
Sometimes all that preparation is for nothing because a promising parcel can be removed from the sale list shortly before an auction.
When a bid is accepted, litigation and negotiating with lien holders often are necessary to obtain a clear property title, he has said. Sometimes he has to pay liens in full, and other times a reduced payout is accepted.
While resale is usually the end goal, Keller sometimes rents out properties while working through litigation.
In addition to time and money leading up to the title acquisition, there’s investment in cleaning out and renovating properties, including some packed with debris or requiring significant repairs due to neglect, he had said.
Last year, he paid $1.6 million to purchase 58 properties at the September upset auction. He also stood out in the 2022 sale, acquiring 48 properties for $1.1 million.
Keller’s new purchases, along with the winning bid amounts, according to Elite Revenue’s report: 706 McAlpine St., Avoca, $13,000; 2035 Bear Creek Blvd., Bear Creek Township, $28,000; 1205 adjacent Beech Road, Bear Creek Township, $108,000; 209 Owego Dr., Black Creek Township, $40,000; lot in Butler Township, $66,000; parcel on Scenic View Drive, Dallas Township, $56,000; 233 Elm St., Dupont, $52,000; 771 Hazle St., Hanover Township, $42,000; 132 E. Maple St., Hazleton, $31,000; 716 Grant St., Hazleton, $43,000; 1506 Terrace Blvd., Hazleton, $146,000; parcel on Mountain Road, Huntington Township, $3,684; 249 Howard St., Larksville, $28,000; 23 W. Luzerne Ave., Larksville, $31,000; 353 E. Poplar St., Plymouth Township, $17,500; 522 Hartman Rd., Plymouth Township, $31,000; 5240 Main Road, Ross Township, $8,653; 5238 Main Rd., Ross Township, $778; 2 Sunset Terrace, Ross Township, $11,500; 12 Gillespie St., Swoyersville, $9,643; and 62 Diamond St., Swoyersville, $15,500.
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