DeedPilot

Washington County, Minnesota

Tax Deed283,960 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

3 years from judgment (5 years for homestead/ag land)

Investor returnstate default

N/A — outright deed transfer

Governing statutestate default

Minnesota Statutes Ch. 280–282

Notes

Minnesota tax-forfeiture deed county. Washington County Property Records & Taxpayer Services manages tax-forfeited land after the statutory pre-forfeiture redemption period. Public auctions may be in-person at the Government Center (Stillwater) or online; notices published ≥30 days prior and via email subscription. Example 2026 scheduling included March 6 first sale and April 6 second sale if unsold. Unsold inventory may be offered over-the-counter. AS IS sales; research thoroughly before bidding.

Auction logistics

Format

In-person and/or online public auction; OTC when listed

Frequency

Periodic public sales when inventory is ready (not weekly); subscribe to county TFL email list for notices

Deposit rules

Terms published with each sale notice (Government Center auctions historically 1:00 p.m. sessions). Payment form, deposit, and deed closing rules are sale-specific — contact Property Records at 651-430-6175. Properties sold AS IS; all sales final.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale
Forfeiture process extinguishes the tax debt leading to forfeiture but not necessarily all encumbrances or defects. Check federal liens, easements, shoreland, and HOA. MN surplus-proceeds reforms apply to post-reform sales.
Quiet title
Quiet title or extended curative work is often needed for marketable/insurable title after tax-forfeited deed purchase.

Deal maths for Minnesota

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

Minn. Stat. § 273.11 subd. 1: "all property shall be valued at its market value." Class rates under § 273.13 are applied afterwards to compute tax capacity and do not reduce the assessed value. The estimated market value is also what § 282.005 uses to set the opening price at a tax-forfeited sale.

Offices and records

Areas trending up

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

Woodbury / I-94 east metro

Job and retail concentration with strong multifamily and SF demand versus St. Croix edge towns

Cottage Grove / Hastings corridor

Relative affordability with Mississippi River industrial and logistics adjacency

Stillwater / St. Croix scenic fringe

Lifestyle buyer demand and tourism amenities; tighter inventory and higher price floors

Sources