Washington County, Virginia

Tax Deed54,098 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

Right to redeem up until the court confirms the sale, not after

Investor returnstate default

N/A — outright deed transfer once confirmed

Governing statutestate default

Code of Virginia Title 58.1, Ch. 39

Notes

Virginia judicial tax-deed county. Washington County real-estate tax sales are Special Commissioner's sales under Circuit Court decrees, administered with Taxing Authority Consulting Services, PC (TACS / taxva.com) and auctioned as simulcast events (in-person + online) via The Counts Realty & Auction Group (countsauction.com). Recent cycles: March 28, 2025 and October 24, 2025 at Board of Supervisors Room, 1 Government Center Place, Abingdon, 1:00 p.m. Also covers Town of Abingdon parcels when noticed. Abingdon / Bristol / I-81 Highlands market.

Auction logistics

Format

Simulcast in-person + online (Counts Auction / TACS)

Frequency

Periodic Special Commissioner auctions when decrees and inventory are ready (often 1–2 times per year historically) — monitor taxva.com and countsauction.com

Platform

Counts Realty & Auction Group / TACS — Washington County tax sales ↗

Deposit rules

Highest bidder: deposit of 25% or $1,000 (whichever higher), plus 10% buyer's premium (min $150). Bids under $1,000 paid in full at auction. Deposit max $20,000 per parcel. In-person: personal/cashier's check or money order day of sale (no cash). Online: deposit and premium due within 7 days by certified funds/wire to County of Washington via TACS. Balance and recording costs within 15 days of court confirmation. Bidder may not owe Washington County delinquent taxes.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

Proper judicial tax sale after confirmation generally cuts off most junior liens; federal tax liens can survive. Special warranty deed subject to easements, covenants, and rights of record. No warranty of access — landlocked risk. Full independent title search required before bidding.

Quiet title

Court confirmation is the primary clearing step; quiet title may still be used if defects appear in the chain or for insurer requirements.

Deal maths for Virginia

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

Va. Const. art. X, § 2: "All assessments of real estate and tangible personal property shall be at their fair market value, to be ascertained as prescribed by law." There is no classification and no ratio below full value, except the agricultural, horticultural, forest and open-space use-value deferral the same section authorises.

Offices and records

Tax collector

Washington County Treasurer's Office ↗

276-676-6270

Clerk of court

Washington County Circuit Court Clerk (sale confirmation; land records) ↗

Property appraiser

Washington County Commissioner of the Revenue / assessments ↗

GIS / parcel map

Washington County parcel / GIS resources ↗

Areas trending up

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

Abingdon / Main Street historic core

County-seat tourism, arts, and government employment with strongest SF liquidity

Bristol fringe / I-81 commercial corridor

Twin-city retail and interstate access supporting workforce housing demand

Glade Spring / Meadowview rural-service edge

Relative-value inventory with local service and agricultural absorption