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Lesson 1 of 10 · Tax liens and ownership
What are you actually buying?
Learn the idea
A property tax lien is a legal claim connected to unpaid property taxes. In the certificate sales discussed here, an investor buys that claim through a tax certificate. The certificate and the property are different assets. Miami-Dade’s guidance says buying its certificate does not transfer ownership, and the county does not guarantee the property’s condition or value.
Start a research file by naming the thing being sold: a tax lien certificate, a deed or another instrument. Then write down the rights that come with it. A photograph of a house beside a small dollar amount can create the wrong impression. The amount on a certificate is not an offer to sell that house at that price.
See it in action
A certificate beside a parking lot
Sam finds a fictional $1,400 certificate associated with a parking lot. Sam first writes ‘tax lien certificate’ in the research notes. Because the purchase concerns a tax claim, Sam cannot treat the lot as a new parking business or collect parking fees. The next task is understanding the certificate’s local rules, not planning how to use the land.
Now try it
A new situation. Use what you’ve just learned.
Alex sees a fictional $900 tax certificate associated with a house in Miami-Dade. The listing describes a certificate sale, and Alex wants to understand what the purchase would include.
Optional reading: sources for this lesson
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