Page 15 - Stuart Exposure- March '23

Stuart Exposure, Page 15
loCAl goVernMent
Ruth Pietruszewski, Martin
County Tax Collector, Reminds
Taxpayers That Taxes Become
Delinquent The Same Time
Every Year – April 1
Real property taxes
become delinquent April 1
of each year. Please help
keep your cost and the cost
of your government down
by paying your property
taxes on time. At that
time, 3 percent interest and
advertising fees are added
to the gross tax. A list of
all real estate property with
delinquent taxes is advertised
once a week for three consecutive weeks in a local newspaper
during the month of May. The advertisement specifies
Call us for a FREE Home Watch Consultation!
772-288-0972
Also offering concierge services
2740 SW Martin Downs Blvd, Ste. 181
Palm City, FL 34990
the place, date and time of the Tax Certificate Sale. This bill or surrendering the title to the property. The payment
advertised information is required by Florida Law and is of property taxes provides the county, school board, and
not intended to be embarrassing or intimidating. The notice
municipalities the revenue to provide necessary services for
serves as a reminder to contact this office immediately for Martin County taxpayers. Tax certificates assist in funding
payment, if your taxes have not been paid for the 2022 tax
the government’s expenses in the interim time taxes are
roll. Current law provides that taxes on these listed properties delinquent. The system for collecting delinquent ad valorem
property taxes is defined in great detail in the Florida Statutes,
will be recovered through the sale of tax certificates.
Beginning on or before June 1, the tax collector is required Attorney General’s Opinions, and Department of Revenue’s
by law to hold a tax certificate sale. The certificates represent rules and regulations, per F.S. 197.122, F.S. 197.332, F.S.
liens on all unpaid real estate properties. The sale allows 197.343, F.S. 197.402, F.S. 197.403, F.S. 197.432.
citizens to buy certificates by paying the owed tax debt. The A tax certificate is valid for seven years from the date of
sale is held online. issuance. The holder may apply for a tax deed when two or
A tax certificate, when purchased, becomes an enforceable more years have elapsed since the date of delinquency. If
first lien against the real estate. The certificate holder is the property owner fails to pay the tax debt, the property tax
actually paying the taxes for a property owner in exchange deed is sold at public auction. In order to remove the lien,
for a competitive bid rate of return on his investment. They the property owner must pay the tax collector all delinquent
make it possible for the owner(s) of real property to allow ad taxes plus accrued interest, penalties and advertising fees.
valorem property taxes to become delinquent and continue The tax collector then notifies the certificate holder of any
to use their property for two years (or more) before actually certificates redeemed and a refund check is then issued to the
paying the bill (plus interest and costs). During this period, certificate holder. Although it is a secure investment in most
investors pay the delinquent tax bills at negotiated rates of cases, there is an element of risk in purchasing tax certificates.
interest lending the delinquent property owners money in F.S. 197.472(2) states that tax lien certificates are guaranteed
order to continue using their property before paying the an interest rate return of a flat (non-accruing) 5 percent or
your bid, on an APR basis, whichever is greater.
Martin County Property
Appraiser’s Office
Attention New Home
Buyers!
When buying real
estate property, you should
not assume that property
taxes will remain the same.
Whenever there is a change
in ownership, the assessed
value of the property may
info@acuityhomewatch.com reset to the full market
acuityhomewatch.com value, which may result
in higher property taxes.
Our New Home Buyer Timeline
handout illustrates this scenario.
Scan QR code to view this
timeline.
In addition, using our Property
Tax Estimator tool will help you
plan ahead for the financial impact.
Scan QR code to use the Property
Tax Estimator.
Both of these tools are available on our
website at www.pa.martin.fl.us. Or, scan this
QR code to connect with us!