Late Taxes on 24,000 Parcels Bought at Tax Sale, Pappas Says

Delinquent taxes on some 24,000 parcels of property were bought by tax buyers during the Annual Tax Sale and about $103 million in unpaid taxes, penalties and other fees were recovered, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said today.

A taxpayer can see if a delinquency was bought by visiting Pappas' website at www.cookcountytreasurer.com and entering the Property Index Number of the property.

The website will tell the owner whether a delinquency was sold, and how to contact the Cook County Clerk's Office about arranging redemption. The County Clerk's Office is in Room 434 of the Cook County Building, 118 N. Clark Street, Chicago, and at cookcountyclerk.com or 312.603.5656.

Owners whose taxes were bought are to receive notices from the tax buyers and the Clerk's Office. If an owner does not redeem, the tax buyer may ask a judge for the deed to the property. Pappas said the owner should avoid the possibility of losing a home or other property by:

• Obtaining an Estimate of Redemption from the Clerk to determine how much is owed.
• Verifying that the PIN on the deed is the same as that on the Estimate of Redemption.
• Paying the Clerk's Office what is owed by certified or cashier's check, money order or cash (never mail cash).