Adams County, Colorado

Tax Lien542,973 residents

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

Sale typestate default

Tax Lien

Redemption periodstate default

3 years from sale

Investor returnstate default

9 points above federal discount rate, set annually; premium/bid-down format varies by county

Governing statutestate default

Colorado Revised Statutes Title 39, Art. 11

Notes

Colorado tax-lien county. Adams Treasurer runs annual internet tax lien sale (RealAuction coloradotaxsale.com). 2025 live sale window example: Oct 20–31, 2025 for 2024 taxes payable 2025; statutory redemption interest 14% as of Oct 1, 2025. Certificate of Purchase is a lien; after ~3 years unredeemed, certificate holder may apply for Treasurer’s Deed option. HB24-1056 (eff. July 1, 2024): Treasurer’s Deed option is auctioned in person to highest bidder (not automatic deed to lienholder) — confirm current deed process.

Auction logistics

Format

Online (tax liens)

Frequency

Annual fall tax lien sale (multi-day online window)

Platform

Adams County RealAuction (coloradotaxsale.com) ↗

Deposit rules

Register on adams.coloradotaxsale.com; deposit and ACH rules set by RealAuction per sale notice (typically percentage of intended investment). Certificate purchase is for unpaid taxes + fees, not the land. Deed application later requires separate deposits for costs and subsequent taxes.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

Tax lien certificate does not clear title. Other mortgages, HOA, and federal liens can survive; only after valid Treasurer’s Deed process may title shift. Underwrite redemption risk for full statutory period.

Quiet title

Often required after Treasurer’s Deed before institutional resale; post-2024 deed-option auction changes process — get local counsel.

Deal maths for Colorado

Assessment ratio: 0.0705× of market value
Typical quiet title: $1,800–$5,000 · 5 mo
Recording and transfer: $250

Colorado assesses residential property at two rates since SB24-233. For school district purposes the 2026 residential rate is 7.05% of actual value; for local government purposes 6.95% is applied to actual value less the lesser of 10% of actual value or $70,000 as adjusted for inflation, an effective rate near 6.26% below $700,000. Commercial and agricultural property is 25% for 2026, down from 27% in 2025. This entry uses the school rate, the higher of the two residential figures.

Offices and records

Tax collector

Adams County Treasurer and Public Trustee — Tax Lien Sale ↗

Clerk of court

Adams County Clerk and Recorder ↗

Property appraiser

Adams County Assessor — Property Search ↗

GIS / parcel map

Adams County Assessor GIS / Quick Search ↗

Areas trending up

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

Commerce City / Rocky Mountain Arsenal edge

Industrial/logistics growth and housing demand on the northern metro fringe

Brighton / northern Adams

Suburban pipeline and relative affordability vs. Denver core

Westminster / Federal Heights edge

Infill employment access with renter demand along US-36 corridor