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Court authorizes resale of tax-foreclosed properties with $500 opening bids
Summary
Bell County approved a resolution to allow the resale of two tax-acquired properties at an opening bid of $500 on the courthouse steps after they failed to sell at higher minimums in a prior delinquent-tax sale.
Bell County Commissioner—s Court approved a resolution requesting resale of two properties acquired by the Bell County Tax Appraisal District at delinquent-tax sales, setting an opening bid of $500 for each property at a new courthouse-steps auction.
Representatives from the firm that collects delinquent taxes for taxing units in Bell County explained the rationale. Matthew Tepper and Leslie Herold described the sheriff-conducted auction process: when property owners do not pay delinquent taxes, the properties are posted for sheriff—s sale; in the December 2024 sale some parcels failed to reach the minimum statutory bid. The firm asked the court to authorize resale with a $500 starting bid to attract bidders, recoup at least some funds for the taxing entities and return properties to private ownership.
The transcript records that one of the properties (Lot 1, Block 59, Morgans Pointe Resort City Subdivision Section 15) had a prior minimum bid of about $3,000 and did not receive that bid; the firm said the tax owed on that parcel was roughly $2,500. The court—s resolution lists both properties by legal description and tax account numbers and sets the $500 minimum opening bid for each property at resale.
Commissioner Schneider moved to approve the resolution; Commissioner Wilson seconded. The court approved the resolution by voice vote. The presenters also clarified that the sheriff—s office conducts the auction but the collecting law firm manages the sale mechanics under sheriff authority.
The action authorizes resale; the court did not set a further timeline in the recorded remarks.
