Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas is planning to conduct the first sale of delinquent property taxes in more than two years on November 5.

About $163.4 million in unpaid 2018 property taxes (that were to be paid in 2019) is due on 36,000 homes, businesses and land in Cook County, Pappas said. Less than $1,000 is owed on nearly 12,000 properties in Chicago and 7,700 properties in suburban Cook County.

Pappas said she is sending owners of these properties a certified mailing to inform them that their unpaid taxes are scheduled to be sold, which would put a lien against their properties - the first step in a process that can end with loss of the property.

Pappas added that owners may be unaware their properties are headed to the tax sale because the U.S. Postal Service has returned bills and subsequent notices on 17,702 properties.

To avoid the tax sale, property owners can go to cookcountytreasurer.com to see if their taxes are delinquent and make a payment.