Starting in March, all tax foreclosure sales will exclusively be conducted online, beginning with the County’s upcoming tax sale scheduled for March 7.

In-person tax foreclosure sales are now a thing of the past as Smith County is moving the auctions to the world wide web.

Starting in March, all tax foreclosure sales will exclusively be conducted online, beginning with the County’s upcoming tax sale scheduled for March 7.

Historically, the tax sales have been conducted on the west steps of the Smith County courthouse.

“We are so very excited to offer citizens this convenient and efficient new method of bidding on local property at our tax sales,” said Gary Barber, Smith County’s Tax Assessor-Collector.

Barber’s office oversees all tax collections in the county.

“Bidders can go online, register and bid on properties from their home computer, laptop, tablet or other internet-enabled handheld device,” Barber added.

The online service is provided at no charge to Smith County, in part thanks to the Linebarger Law firm, which provides delinquent tax collection services to the county and the entities for which they collect.

A list of properties up for sale can be found on the firm’s website: www.lgbs.com.

“Online sales in other counties have proven to make tax sales more accessible, especially those who prefer not to gather in large groups or have challenges making it to the courthouse, or when the weather conditions are challenging,” said Jim Lambeth, a partner in Linebarger’s Tyler office.

“It also helps property owners receive full market value for their delinquent properties and maximizes sales income,” Lambeth said.

With the convenience of bidding online, the potential for higher sales and values will increase due to a broader audience.

“When tax properties sell for more than the taxes owed, those additional funds go back to the original property owner,” Lambeth said.

In order to participate, interested bidders must register in advance by going on the website: https://smith.texas.sheriffsaleauctions.com.

Payment of local property taxes can be made to the Smith County Tax Office in the Cotton Belt Building in Tyler, or any county sub-courthouse. Payments can also be made online through the Smith County Tax Office website.