DeedPilot

Wayne County, Michigan

Tax Deed1,771,063 residentsLive auctions →

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

Forfeiture/foreclosure process ends redemption rights before auction (roughly 2 years of delinquency)

Investor returnstate default

N/A — outright deed transfer

Governing statutestate default

Michigan Compiled Laws §211.78 et seq.

Notes

Michigan tax-foreclosure (MCL 211.78): multi-year forfeiture → March foreclosure judgment → state/city/township first right of purchase → public auction of remainder. Successful bidders get a quitclaim deed. Excess auction proceeds claims process for 2026 foreclosures (Notice of Intent deadline July 1, 2026 under MCL 211.78t). Auction site: waynecountytreasurermi.com (not tax-sale.info).

Auction logistics

Format

Online

Frequency

September and October of the foreclosure year (unsold September parcels re-offered in October)

Deposit rules

For 2026 cycle (registration/deposits Aug 14–Sep 8, 2026 ET): single-property bid $2,500 deposit + $50 non-refundable registration fee; multi-property $10,000 + $50; premium properties may require $25,000 + $50. Minimum bid = delinquent taxes, penalties, and interest. Sold AS IS/WHERE IS. Auction questions: WCTauction@waynecountymi.gov.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale
Circuit court foreclosure is intended to convey free of most prior liens, but federal tax liens and some interests may survive. Special assessments, environmental/demo status, and occupancy create practical risk — county warns bidders to research thoroughly before bidding.
Quiet title
Judgment of foreclosure is the primary clearing step; some insurers still require quiet title or extended review on tax-foreclosed parcels, especially Detroit inventory.

Deal maths for Michigan

Assessment ratio
0.5× of market value
Typical quiet title
$2,000–$4,000 · 9 mo
Recording and transfer
$300

Michigan state equalized value is 50% of true cash value by constitution (Mich. Const. art. IX, § 3); taxable value may be lower still. The SEV published with these auction listings is taken from the delinquent tax year that was foreclosed upon, so it is typically several years stale — in a rising market it understates current value, and in a falling one it overstates it.

Offices and records

Areas trending up

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

Midtown / Corktown

Institutional employment and redevelopment corridor with stronger multifamily demand than outer eastside pockets

Southwest Detroit / Mexicantown

Relative affordability with active small-investor rehab demand

Dearborn / Downriver employment nodes

Industrial and auto-adjacent job base supporting steadier owner occupancy vs. soft outer city blocks

Sources