The Official Site of The City of Markham
Current Tax Sale Property Listing
A tax sale is sale of a real estate property that results when a taxpayer reaches a certain point of arrears in his or her owed property tax payments.
When a tax sale is initiated, the property owner has a right of redemption period. During this period, he or she has the opportunity to pay off the tax arrears in full and reclaim the property. If the property owner fails to pay the back taxes, along with any interest accrued, the property is then eligible to be sold by the City of Markham through a bidding process.
Tax Sales are not typical real estate transactions. If you are considering participating in a tax sale, it is highly recommended that you seek independent legal advice from a lawyer licensed to practice in Ontario and in good standing with the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Before you submit a tender for a tax sale property, be aware of the following:
- This process is buyer beware. You must undertake due diligence with respect to all aspects of the property.
- You may drive past the property, but site visits are not available.
- There is no vacant possession. The successful bidder will not receive a key to the property. The successful bidder is responsible for the eviction process if necessary.
- You are responsible for any Federal or Provincial liens on title. We recommend you do a title search before submitting your bid.
- You should investigate zoning, planning or building restrictions, and work orders.
- You are responsible for any environmental concerns if there are contamination issues with the property.
- The onus is on you to conduct your own inquiries for water/hydro and other arrears.
- You should retain a lawyer to protect your interests before submitting a bid.