Tennessee County Surplus Sale Training

A Tennessee Surplus Sale differs from a Tennessee delinquent tax sale. In a Surplus Sale, the county solicits offers for quitclaim deeds to real estate parcels previously struck off to the county in a delinquent tax sale. This type of sale consists of a "First Offer Period" and a "Final Offer Period." If you have previously registered with GovEase, there is no need to create another account. However, you will have to upload or electronically sign all the required registration documents for that particular county.  For Tennesse County Contact information, click here: TN Contact Information.

**The First Offer Period for Houston County Surplus Sale has been postponed, the new date is to be determined** 

Registered and approved bidders may make offers on parcels for a certain time frame. This is referred to as the First Offer Period.

The county may conditionally accept the highest offer made on each parcel during the First Offer Period, but the offer will not be final, and the parcel will not be considered sold, until the conclusion of the Final Offer Period.

In the Final offer period, the highest placed bid in the first offer period is raised 10%, and registered and approved bidders will have the opportunity to bid up from there. This is referred to as the Final Offer Period.

The winning bidder for a parcel is the person with the highest dollar bid at the conclusion of the Final Offer Period. If no bids are made on a parcel during the Final Offer Period, then the winning bidder is the high offeror from the First Offer Period.

1. Visit GovEase.com

2. Click Sign Up/Log In at the top right

3. Click Sign Up

4. Complete all fields that apply to you. Then proceed to auction registration.

5. Click on Register/Add Auctions under My Account

6. Click on Register beside the Auction you want to participate in

7. Find the County that is conducting a Surplus Sale. You will need to either upload or E-sign the documents. Be sure to read over the Terms and Conditions Document.

8. If you are unable to upload documents, you might be able to send them by email or mail. Give the county a call with the phone number on that page to see what's best.

9. If you have uploaded a bank letter with an amount and have all the other documents, the county will approve you for that amount. If you need a different approval amount, please call the county with the number provided.

10. Once the county has approved you, visit the My Registrations page to check your approval status and verify your total approved dollar amount.

11. Once it says Approved next to the Auction you signed up for, you are good to place a bid in that county when bidding begins.

Follow these steps to place an offer during the "First Offer Period" and the "Final Offer Period." Please view below First Offer Period Time Frame and Final Offer. Also, it is important to remember you will not be able to place bids until the County has approved you. The minimum bid increment for the Houston County and Crockett County Surplus Sales is $1.00.

1. Log in and click on the Auctions tab. 

2. Click on the Unique Number for the parcel you want to bid on. Starting amount is listed as Face Value.

3. Click "Place Bid." You can place your total bid amount in the box next to Place Bid. Put in the total you are willing to go to, then click Place Bid. Please review your total bid amount before submitting it.

***Note: Please review your total bid amount before submitting. Once entered, bids cannot be undone. You can raise your bid, but you cannot remove it or lower it below the current winning bid amount. If you are the winning bidder, you will be responsible for the purchase price unless you are outbid.***

4. View your screen to see if you are winning (in green) or if you have been outbid (in red)

During the "Final Offer Period," the auction. The parcels that had a bid from the First Offer Period will now be offered during the Final Offer Period for 10% more than the high bid from the First Offer Period.  

 1. Log in and click on the Auctions tab. 

2. Click on the Parcel Number that you want to bid on.  

3. Click "Place Bid." You can place your total bid amount in the box next to Place Bid. Put in the total amount you are willing to go to, then click Place Bid.

4. View your screen to see if you are winning (in green) or if you have been outbid (in red)