Madera County, California

Tax Deed165,432 residents

County research last verified 2026-07. Office holders, platforms, and deposit rules change — re-confirm anything time-sensitive.

Sale typestate default

Tax Deed

Redemption periodstate default

Up until 5pm the last business day before the sale (5-year delinquency threshold)

Investor returnstate default

N/A — outright deed transfer

Governing statutestate default

California Revenue & Taxation Code, Div. 1, Pt. 6

Notes

California tax-deed county. Madera County Treasurer-Tax Collector partners with Bid4Assets for the annual defaulted land tax sale. May 11, 2026 sale closed (property listing updated on county page). Sold strictly AS IS; buyer must research access, water, zoning, and flood risk — large ag and foothill inventory. No tax-lien certificates.

Auction logistics

Format

Online

Frequency

Typically annual spring sale (e.g. May 11, 2026); confirm next cycle on county Defaulted Property Tax Sale page

Platform

Bid4Assets — Madera County ↗

Deposit rules

Register on Bid4Assets; Madera requires prospective bidders to complete county-specific forms as posted on the storefront. Bid deposit + processing fee due by platform deadline. Payment of winning balance per Bid4Assets/county terms; all sales final, no refunds. Contact TTC 559-675-7703 for terms packet.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

A California tax deed conveys free of most liens existing before the sale (R&T Code §3712), but federal tax liens survive (IRS 120-day post-sale redemption), as do taxes/assessments that become payable after the sale. Special assessments, 1915 Act bonds, and Mello-Roos may remain if not satisfied from sale proceeds — verify parcel-by-parcel.

Quiet title

Not a statutory prerequisite, but practically required — most CA title insurers will not insure a tax-deed property without quiet title (commonly 3–6 months, $3,000–$8,000+) or extended waiting after recording; one-year challenge period under R&T Code can delay free-and-clear marketable title.

Deal maths for California

Assessment ratio: 1× of market value
Typical quiet title: $3,000–$7,000 · 9 mo
Recording and transfer: $250

Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 401: property is assessed at full cash value, so the statutory ratio is 1.0.

Offices and records

Tax collector

Madera County Treasurer-Tax Collector — Defaulted Property Tax Sale ↗

559-675-7703

Clerk of court

Madera County Clerk-Recorder ↗

Property appraiser

Madera County Assessor — parcel search ↗

GIS / parcel map

Madera County GIS / assessor maps ↗

Areas trending up

Directional read from dated market analysis — not a guarantee, and not a substitute for your own comps.

Madera / Highway 99 corridor

North Valley logistics and relative affordability versus Fresno metro core

Madera Ranchos / foothill edge

Suburban SF demand with school-driven buyer pool

Chowchilla / north county

Lower entry prices and institutional/ag employment; thinner resale depth