Blog

Why Tax Lien Certificates & Tax Deed Properties are Perfect for Today’s Economy by Tony Martinez

Proactivity is an absolute necessity in today’s economic environment... Financial security, financial stability, and financial dependability are more important today than ever before. Read More...

Five Steps to Securing Private Investment Capital by Tony Martinez

There’s an old adage in investing that “It takes money to make money.” While this is usually true, before you can get the money you need, you must give investors a reason to give it to you. Read More...

Four Ways COVID has Affected Tax Lien Certificate & Tax Deed Property Investing by Tony Martinez

COVID has been giving all of us headaches for more than a year and half. Whether it’s masks, lockdowns, product shortages, or a crippled supply chain, everyone has been troubled or inconvenienced by the its fallout. Read More...

Two Charts that Suggest the Housing Market is Nearing a Repeat of 2007 by Tony Martinez

The housing market continues to climb as low inventories and high building costs push prices higher. However, the end of the foreclosure moratorium is helping to increase housing inventories and is providing much needed supply for homebuyers. Read More...

What Does Rising Inflation Mean for Tax Liens and Deeds? By Tony Martinez

Recently, a USTLA client shared a story on a house he was trying to buy. The house was listed at $599,000. However, this price was well above comparable homes in the area. The following table shows his analysis. Read More...

What Should Tax Lien and Tax Deed Investors Learn from BlackRock Real Estate Purchases? By Tony Martinez

Many real estate investors think these private equity funds are helping feed another real estate market bubble. So, why are private equity firms buying up real estate, and what does it mean for tax lien and tax deed investors? Read More...

Is the American Dream of Homeownership over? Tony Martinez

Karl W. Smith argued that affordability and stability in housing has come to an end, and people should begin to embrace renting to buying. In 2004, homeownership reached a peak of 69% but has been trending lower. Read More...

The Tax Lien Apprentice: Determining a Focus

Follow the story of a beginner tax lien investor, Ryan, through the Tax Lien Apprentice series. Read More...

Self-improvement Tips to Help You Succeed in 2021 by Tony Martinez

Learning is without a doubt a lifelong endeavor. But, I do understand the difficulty of pursuing educational goals or otherwise while confined to your home. Read More...

The Rise of Cryptocurrency in Real Estate by Tony Martinez

Buying real estate with cryptocurrency became a reality in the United States in 2017. A home in Austin, Texas, was purchased with Bitcoin, albeit the seller did request that the cryptocurrency be converted to USD at the transactions completion. Read More...

What Covid-19 Means for Tax Auctions  by Tony Martinez

Due to the pandemic many property tax auctions have moved online for the first time. So I’d like to think there is some silver lining to our experiences in the past year, if very fine. Read More...

What is a Short Sale and Why Do You Need to Know?

When I began my own journey into the realm of real estate investing, the jargon unique to the field was difficult to decipher. As an educator whose personal experience has proved invaluable to our students at the US Tax Lien Association Read More...

Find Out How Fannie Mae Can Help You As An Investor by Tony Martinez

Here at the US Tax Lien Association we have decades of combined real estate investing experience. One of our student mentors, and Tony’s and my longtime friend, Ed Mitchell - spent many years working as an appraiser. He knows how to evaluate properties, and how to estimate their fair market value. Read More...

How Covid Rocked the Housing Market in 2020, and What 2021 Will Look Like

This year, the world shook. So much suddenly changed about the way we live that many of us were left reeling. The global pandemic left no industry untouched, no life un altered. Read More...

Mindset Matters by Tony Martinez

Tony Martinez shares critical points about how decision making will affect our lives in 2021 and beyond. Read More...

Quiet Title Action Explained by Tony Martinez

A quiet title action is a circuit court lawsuit that is filed to settle the title to a property. So, why do tax deed investors potentially need a quiet title action? Read More...

A Huge Misconception by Tony Martinez

It is faulty to think that all counties in a state operate their tax lien or tax deed auctions and processes exactly the same. While it is helpful to read our state summaries in the Ultimate Listing Service... Read More...

Find Ways to Save on Homeowners Insurance by Tony Martinez

No matter how you secured your investment, you will need homeowners insurance to protect it. Read More...

How to Choose a Lawyer by Tony Martinez

Finding an attorney is a daunting task. We have all heard the horror stories of the attorneys who dragged their feet, therefore racking up expenses for their clients that weren’t necessary. Read More...

Tips on Rental Ownership Tax Breaks by Tony Martinez

Owning and operating rental properties is not for everyone. For those who do have the patience to to manage rentals; taking advantage of allowable tax breaks or deductions will heavily affect your bottom line. Read More...

What to Consider When Moving a Mobile Home by Tony Martinez

Mobile homes can be a tough investment. Generally, mobile homes really only depreciate in value and aren’t worth putting much time and energy into. Yet, there are deals that warrant purchasing a piece of land with a mobile home on it. So, what do you do with it? Read More...

Crush The Biggest Hurdles to Success By Tony Martinez

In any undertaking, there will be obstacles in your way. Likely, you’ve found that investing in tax liens and tax deeds is no different. There are potential trip ups on the way to success, and they need to be handled professionally and with the will to never give up. Read More...

Mysterious QRP Explained by Tony Martinez

Qualified Retirements Plans (QRP) baffle most people. How can one possibly have a retirement plan that allows you to invest in real estate? Read More...

Achieve a Lifetime of Mental Fitness by Tony Martinez

It is vitally important that we all take time out of our days to stay connected with the world, to exercise our mind and entertain new ideas. To stay mentally fit, here are a few things I do to turn our work days into food for the mind. Read More...

Consider Insurance Before It’s Too Late by Tony Martinez

Homeowners insurance is often an afterthought. By the time anyone thinks about getting a policy, it can be too late. Read More...

What is Title Insurance and Do I Need It By Tony Martinez

Title insurance; it seems like one of those mysterious fees that just might not be necessary. So, can you get away without purchasing it? Read More...

How to Avoid Failure When The Going Gets Tough by Tony Martinez

I always think back fondly on the days when Tony and I were just getting started with tax liens. Tax lien and tax deed lists weren’t as readily available then as they are now. Read More...

What Does Landlord Insurance Cover by Tony Martinez

Landlord insurance is for people who own a home and lease, or rent it to others. This type of insurance typically covers the dwelling and includes owner liability protection. Read More...

Tony Martinez Shares How to Stay Sharp and Win

Learning is a lifelong endeavor. It shouldn’t stop once you throw a graduation cap into the air. In order to stay on top of your game you must continuously seek to improve upon your current skill set. Read More...

What You Don’t Know About Empty Lots by Tony Martinez

Empty lots are an excellent investment. If purchased as a tax deed, empty lots commonly sell for just a few thousand dollars and there are many benefits to purchasing one. Three of these benefits are Read More...

Upstate New York By Tony Martinez

I usually hear a lot of buzz about specific states on the topic of tax deeds and tax liens. Today I would like to draw your attention away from the commonly spoken about regions, and draw your eye to upstate New York. Read More...

How to Work Smarter with These 4 Tips by Tony Martinez

It is a common misconception that we need to work long and tiring hours in order to be productive and to get ahead. Read More...

Making Your Life Partner a Business Partner? Read This by Tony Martinez

Deciding to go into business with your life partner is a huge step and can be very rewarding. Tony and I know that jumping into a new endeavor can be stressful... Read More...

The Secrets About Land Banks Nobody Will Tell You by Tony Martinez

The first Land Bank was founded in the 1970’s as a result of deindustrialization. This was a time where suburbanization, or the mass movement of U.S. residents to the suburbs, was rampant. Read More...

The Secrets to Online Auction Success by Tony Martinez

Online auction houses are a great resource. They are accessible to those who cannot travel to on location auctions, and they make the bidding process less intimidating to its participants. Read More...

Do You Need an LLC By Tony Martinez

I am often asked, “do I need an LLC to buy tax liens and tax deeds?” Well, frankly no you don’t absolutely have to have one in order to purchase liens or deeds. But should you have one? Read More...

Three Thoughts About Our Year End Event That Will Turn Your World Upside Down by Tony Martinez

Those who attended our Year-Ennd celebration can attest to its great success! The energy in the room was just electric, and, an avalanche of opinion states that it was our best yet. We had powerful speakers take the stage to motivate our students to take hold of their futures and shape it as they see fit. Read More...

What is Land Insurance, and Do You Need It By Tony Martinez

A story I’m sure you are very familiar with is how I began our journey to financial freedom by purchasing and selling vacant lots. Empty lots are prolific on tax deed and tax lien lists and are generally a smart investment. Read More...

The Best Strategy to Avoid Competition by Tony Martinez

Getting out bid at an auction is always a let down. The problem is, the most accessible auctions to everyone are the most popular. So those participating in Florida and Texas tax deed auctions for example... Read More...

Stop Running In Circles and Take Action by Tony Martinez

It’s tough for me when I speak with a student and realize part way through I’m having the same conversation with them we had two months ago. Read More...

Tax Deeds or Tax Liens by Tony Martinez

Asking yourself whether you should invest in tax liens or tax deeds (or both) is important. This should be one of the first questions you explore as you embark on your journey to financial freedom. Your choice will depend on the amount of time you have to commit to investing... Read More...

Why You're Not Winning by Tony Martinez

It can be deflating, completing hours of research only to attend the auction you’ve been preparing for and leave empty handed. Rather than feel bad, take a look at why you are not winning any tax liens or tax deeds. It could be because of a few reasons, or just one or two. Read More...

When Investing In a Deed Becomes a Nightmare by Tony Martinez

Investing in tax lien and tax deeds is not free from risk. Some tax lien scam artists might make you think this, but here at the US Tax Lien Association we educate our students about the kinds of risks and how to avoid them. Read More...

Three Must Do’s for Newbie Landlords by Tony Martinez

Some of you may have sworn off renting your properties, I mean, we have all had bad experiences with renters. But realistically, some house purchases warrant renting. Read More...

A Relationship Business by Tony Martinez

It always surprises me when I speak to people about their reasons for investing in tax liens and tax deeds, and they say they began doing so because they can work from home without having to speak with people. Read More...

Pay Rent to Boost Credit Score by Tony Martinez

It is becoming more commonplace for landlords or management companies to report rent payments to the credit bureaus. This is actually very advantageous for those who rent and are looking to buy in the next few years... Read More...

Know Your Self-Employment Tax Obligations by Tony Martinez

What often attracts people to investing in tax liens and tax deeds is the opportunity to be self- employed. Yes, you can simply invest retirement funds within your qualified retirement plan and not worry about tax implications, but for those who want to make a living in real estate it is important to understand there are very different tax obligations for self-employed individuals. Read More...

Tax Deed Myth Busting with Tony Martinez

While tax deed investing is a viable business, there are many myths floating around regarding how to go about it, as well as what types of returns to expect. Many industry gurus with little to no experience scam people by touting the extreme profits one can make off of a single property instantly. Read More...

Why You Should Choose A Long Term Rental Strategy – by Tony Martinez

Due to my encouragement to think outside of the box when it comes to real estate investing, I’ve been hearing a lot of short-term rental talk in the USTLA community. Some of the more popular pitches are renting through Airbnb, VRBO, and Homelidays. Read More...

Top 3 Questions about Michigan Tax Deed Sales - By Tony Martinez

Few people know how great Michigan is as a tax deed state. It’s just so accessible to investors not only locally but those across the country as well. Most auctions are held simultaneously both live and online through Tax-Sale.Info. Read More...

Tony Martinez - Tips on Choosing the Right Partner

When asked, many of our students say there are advantages to working with their partner. In fact, if you’ve attended one of our events you may have seen us support business partnerships between couples. Why is this? Well, for one thing you absolutely have to have your partner’s support with any new business venture. And Read More...

Make This Summer Your Financial Springboard - by Tony Martinez

There is nothing quite like summer. It is the perfect time to explore opportunities, reach new heights, and enjoy those sought after destinations. Possibly fueled by the warm weather, this is the time we seem to push oursleves a little harder to achieve our dreams. Now is no better time to put your tax lien... Read More...

The Importance of Periodic Reviews - by Tony Martinez

The season of giving is upon us! We walk with an air of cheer, we allow ourselves some time off, and the stresses of everyday life are put aside. As you go about your business during the holidays, consider being generous to yourself. You know as well as anybody how hard you have worked this... Read More...

Internet 101 - Leverage the Best Resources and Avoid the Rest by Tony Martinez

The internet is a vast space that can be difficult to navigate. Despite the challenges and learning curve for some, it is necessary for you to familiarize yourself with it if you want to participate in online auctions. Many of our students begin their tax lien and/or tax deed businesses by investing in properties auctioned online. Read More...

Stop Making Excuses, Start Making Progress - by Tony Martinez

With the holidays approaching fast, now more than ever we see our students make excuses. Levels of tardiness or cancellations of mentor sessions increase and less research is completed. It’s almost as if our students think it is time to hibernate! Stop making excuses and instead remind yourself of why you are seeking financial freedom. Read More...

Reveiwing Opportunity in Colorado - by Tony Martinez

It’s that time of year! As soon as summer turns to fall, you should be thinking about Colorado’s annual tax lien sales. They typically take place in the months of November or December each year. What may come as a surprise to you is that Colorado tax lien certificate interest rates can vary from year to year. Read More...

Creating Effective Work Habits - by Tony Martinez

Long-term mental acuity training is important because today the world is changing faster than ever. Not only is work more demanding, but personal relationships are as well. We need to be flexible and adaptable in order to stay sharp and relevant. No matter your age, now is the time to begin conditioning your mind for long-term acuity. Read More...

Using Your Time Effectively - by Tony Martinez

I wish every county in every state used the same terminology when referring to tax liens and tax deeds. It would also be helpful if all of the rules governing the sales were the same. This is not the case however, so learning those unique languages and rules is a critical step to mastering any region. Read More...

Most Common Retirement Regrets - by Tony Martinez

No matter how far away your retirement date may seem, you need to start thinking about it now. Actually, don’t just start thinking about it, plan for it. I know many of you are thinking, ‘that’s why I’m here isn’t it? Read More...

Can My Life Partner be My Business Partner? A Review by Tony Martinez

Every week I see students decide to go into the tax lien and deed business with their life partners. This is a really big step and can be highly rewarding. I know that jumping into a new endeavor can be stressful, and there is nothing like having the support and help of the Read More...

Tony Martinez Shares Another Exit Strategy

For those who don’t want to spend the time or money to rehab a tax deed property…maybe wholesaling the property for a quick turn around is the exit strategy for you. Wholesaling is when you sell the property below market value to another real estate investor for a quick profit. The advantages of wholesaling are Read More...

Tony Martinez Reviews Overcoming Obstacles

There are always obstacles along the way to success. In every endeavor, there are hiccups that need to be handled professionally with the will to never give up. Follow the path of resistance, as the alternative is to continue to be unsatisfied with your current situation. Whether it is a job you want to leave Read More...

Tony Martinez Shares the Importance of Reflection

At the 2016 VIP success party I shared many personal stories and methods for success. One of which was my journey to achieving a better state of health. While I did not outwardly appear unhealthy, I was in fact experiencing low levels of energy, and I was tiring easily…simply playing with my children was taking Read More...

Tony Martinez Shares the Critical Steps to Becoming Your Own Boss

One of the many appealing things about building a business in tax liens or tax deeds is that you can work autonomously as your own boss. You can work the hours you prefer, take what time off you want…and enjoy financial freedom. Real success in this business, as in any business, requires that you build Read More...

Another Review of Nuances Among States and Counties - by Tony Martinez

It’s a common misconception that all counties within a state operate by the same uniform laws and regulations. Yes, state law governs the county tax auctions, but how those laws are interpreted is not uniform. This is especially noticeable when it comes to how the auctions are conducted. This is not to mention that the Read More...

How to Choose a County for Tax Deed Investing by Tony Martinez

If you have ever felt writers block, then you know there is nothing worse! The same can go for picking a county to begin researching for tax lien certificate or tax deed investment opportunities. Read More...

Where You Should and Should Not Try to Save Costs - A Review by Tony Martinez

We should always be looking for ways to lower our costs. Improperly managing home expenses can reduce funds available for other investments, including tax liens or deeds and a higher education. Taking a moment to think about where you can not only cut funds, but also prevent expenditures, is an important Read More...

Tony Martinez Suggests Putting this on Your "To-Do" List

One goal for today’s article is to introduce you to a state you may not have considered investing in before. It’s important to always keep an eye out for potential new markets, or states you can master and build a team in. Read More...

How Important is Organization to Your Success? by Tony Martinez

One aspect of the business that is most often overlooked is that of organization. I always speak about blocking time at our workshops, just about all three days of the event! Yet in general, students still struggle with making time for research, auctions, networking, and other tax lien and tax deed investing responsibilities. Read More...

Realtors: Tony Martinez Shares Some More Insights

A few months back I wrote an article on how to build relationships with realtors, and what to expect from them. While the feedback for that article was positive and proved helpful to many students, I wanted to address a strongly related subject today. How do you find a realtor to call in the first place? Read More...

Tony Martinez Shares His Key Practices

In my articles I often share key practices. Today is no exception. Correct me if I’m wrong, but do you ever feel bogged down by the sheer amount of tax lien and tax deed lists there are to research? As well as the endless amount of properties found on those lists? Read More...

Tony Martinez Weighs in on the Power of a Mentor

I have been in business for over 30 years now. After all that time I am very aware that while we may be experts in the field, and we have highly trained students reading our blog articles, it never hurts to talk about the basics. This is not to mention of course that we have new members joining us daily, so if we were to assume everyone has the same level of knowledge regarding tax liens and tax deeds then we would be providing a disservice. And that we will not do! Read More...

Tony Martinez Reviews the Importance of Knowing the Rules

Every county that holds a tax lien or tax deed auction has a set of rules to guide buyers. So, every single time I study a new market, I check two best practices off of my to do list. Admittedly, the first step has multiple small steps within it… but you will get the idea. Read More...

Step 1) Find the Deal Step 2) Make the Deal Step 3) Repeat - by Tony Martinez

Focus on making a deal, not finding one. What I mean by this is have a detailed plan before you buy. I have had more than one student tell me that it isn’t possible to have a strategy before buying an investment property because you just don’t know what you are getting. Read More...

How to Leverage Your Agent - by Tony Martinez

Realtors are very helpful when it comes to the business of investing in tax liens and tax deeds. They should have a wealth of local knowledge, such as where new infrastructure is being built, what areas are in demand, where the good rental vs selling markets are… and if you are interested in acquiring properties to sell Read More...

Tony Martinez on DIY Valuation - A Beginners Guide

Your ability to estimate the value of a property is crucial in this business for obvious reasons. For out of state, foreign, and even domestic investors, how do you determine the value of a property? What factors affect value? I will discuss some of our methods to collect the data that will help you determine Read More...

My Thoughts After Training in Cleveland - by Tony Martinez

Our 3-day intensive workshops are gold mines for article ideas. By the time you read this article, I will have just finished speaking at a workshop in Cleveland, OH. To take my mind off of the cold weather, I took a moment to write this article about our solutions to a couple of helpful questions. Read More...

Investing out of State: What to Know - by Tony Martinez

Our clients are increasingly purchasing properties out of state. Implementing improvements or repairs on properties that are not within easy reach can seem intimidating. As always, I want to alleviate these worries and describe our strategies that will make long distance tax deed or lien investing seamless. Read More...

Get out of Your Own Way - Reviewing Common Mistakes - by Tony Martinez

The mistakes I will discuss in this article are deadly because they are self inflicted. You should never block your own path to stability and financial freedom, yet we see this happen frequently. There is never a legitimate excuse or reason not to move forward with your tax deed and tax lien investing business. Below are 5 mistakes we hear and see on a regular basis. Read More...

Tony Martinez Reviews the Role of TLC's in Your Personal Development

As 2016 quickly comes to a close, I have been thinking a lot about how often I discuss actively improving our own lives…and how we encourage our students to do so as well. We frequently explain our methods for self-improvement, how we set and meet goals…how we strive to live the lives we Read More...

Review Your Pre Auction Checklist - by Tony Martinez

Lately I have been getting a lot of questions about the days leading up to an auction. Aside from completing your due diligence, what do you do when you get to the auction location? How do you prepare? My time and money saving tips explained in this article could increase your chances of success, leaving more time for you to enjoy the process. Read More...

Tony Martinez on Starting Your TLC Investment Journey

As you get started in your tax lien and tax deed investing business, you will discover what areas of the country really work for you over the next 6 months to a year. Each member of USTLA has had great success in specific or general areas. Steve Clements (one of our senior trainers) has done well in Texas, Mario Michael (a student and now, our newest coach and trainer) has succeeded in Florida, and Ed Mitchell (a senior coach) has done` Read More...

Getting Started With Limited Capital - by Tony Martinez

In the beginning, I had no experience…just a few hundred dollars in our pockets and not much else. At that point, I had not even purchased my own home. After my mentor introduced me to the idea of investing in tax liens and tax deeds I started researching almost non-stop. It didn’t take Read More...

Tony Martinez Answers the FAQ: Where do I Begin?

I am frequently asked which state is the best state to begin with as a new tax lien or deed investor. The answer to that question really depends on a number of variables. The correct answer is likely to be different for every investor depending on those variables. Some of the variables to be considered when choosing a state include accessibility, information available online Read More...

A USTLA Employee Experience: Fallon Attends Another Auction

Here at USTLA we expect our employees to actively research Tax Liens and Tax Deeds. One of our employees, Fallon, attended an auction just this past week in Ohio, and her experience with prepping for the auction holds an important lesson. I had her write about it so that you could learn from her experience. Her article is below, enjoy! Read More...

Tony Martinez Weighs in on Avoiding Costly Mistakes

Everyone wants to be successful with every investment they make. The fact is, no one is perfect and as humans we all end up making some mistakes. In this blog post I want to explain what I do to avoid making costly errors when evaluating tax liens or tax deeds. Read More...

Where Can I Find Redeemable Deeds? by Tony Martinez

There are six states that offer redeemable deeds to investors. The states are Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas. None of the state’s offering redeemable deeds conduct their sales online. That means that the investor will have to either attend the sale in person or obtain the services of a proxy to bid Read More...

How to Invest When You’re Cash Poor By Tony Martinez

We have so many students walk into our highly educational seminars asking the same question, “how can I invest in tax liens and deeds if I have no cash?” We do offer higher-level training that will introduce students to strategies involving raising investor funds, but today’s article isn’t about that. Read More...

What's Special About Redeemable Deeds? by Tony Martinez

One of my favorite investment vehicles within the arena of property tax related investments is the redeemable deed. In my view, a redeemable deed offers the best features of a tax lien and a tax deed A redeemable deed is similar to a property tax lien in many regards. They have a redemption period, which is a grace period in which the property owner can pay their taxes and retain ownership of their property. Read More...

Why You Should Feel Good About Investing in Tax Liens by Tony Martinez

I always remind our students that property taxes are very important; the revenue collected from them provides countless services to communities across the nation. Property taxes not only help pay for city needs on a large scale, such as improving education and building police and fire stations, but on a small and personal scale as Read More...

How Long Does it Take to Become Successful? by Tony Martinez

‘How soon will I make money if I start investing in tax liens? What about tax deeds?’ As the old saying goes ‘If I had a dollar for every time I am asked those questions…I would be wealthy!’ The fact is, there is no real way to accurately answer those questions. For liens I suppose Read More...

Tony Martinez Asks: What is Your "Why"?

People do not get involved in tax liens and deeds because they are bored and are looking to fill up their time. Our clients frequently ask themselves and us, ‘how am I going to find the time to do this?’ With work and/or a personal life, this new investing endeavor can be a daunting prospect Read More...

All Auctions Are Not Created Equal - Tony Martinez Reviews the Nuances

Are you or your investing partner interested in attending an auction this spring? To help familiarize our students with different state auction processes around the U.S., I am featuring Florida in this blog article. As an added bonus, I will profile a home that was available just this month for auction in Hillsborough County, FL. Read More...

Where Should I be Looking? by Tony Martinez

One of my goals for this blog is to introduce you to markets that you may not have previously considered for your tax lien and tax deed investments. In this post I would like to introduce you to the great state of Nebraska. There are ninety-three counties in Nebraska. Read More...

Tony Martinez Reviews the New Jersey Auction Secret

In my last blog article I mentioned that New Jersey uses a hybrid auction process that can be a bit complicated. To begin with, they use a bid-down-the-interest process. The statutory interest rate is 18%, so that is where the bidding starts. The investors then bid down the interest rate in 1% increments Read More...

Do You Need Hurricane Insurance By Tony Martinez

If you live or own real estate in hurricane prone regions, you may or may not need a separate policy that covers hurricane damage. I wish real estate investing could be black and white, but just like so many other topics today’s has some grey areas. Read More...

Look Past the "County" Level - by Tony Martinez

In late 2012 I came across an online tax lien investment opportunity that surprised and delighted me at the same time. One Municipality and one Township, Redbank & Evesham, New Jersey, (aka the Garden State) are now holding their property tax lien sales online at RealAuction. This shocked me, because the bidding process in New Jersey Read More...

Your Contribution as a Tax Lien Investor by Tony Martinez

It’s been said that there are only two constants in life—death and taxes. Tax liens can’t do much about death, but they can certainly help with taxes. Read More...

Mid Year Review of Your Goals - by Tony Martinez

With the arrival of a New Year comes the perfect time to start investing in tax liens. The first major tax lien certificate sales of the year take place in Arizona. Some of the counties in Arizona begin their sales the last week of January and by the end of February every county in Arizona Read More...

Tony Martinez Interviews Real Estate Guru

Ed Mitchell and I have been friends and real estate partners for many years. Our first real estate deal was in Billings, Montana, more than 20 years ago when we purchased a fully improved lot (I’m sure you have heard me tell that tale in many of our educational CD’s and books!). Read More...

Tony Weighs in on Actions to Take Before the Deed

In an earlier blog post I promised that I would cover the steps you need to take before and during your purchase of a tax deed. I will not be covering exit strategies in this post, which is a subject I will cover for you in several future blog posts. Let’s take care of the Read More...

Tony Martinez Answers a Tax Lien FAQ

The other day I was asked a question by a client that took me by surprise. The surprise came from the timing of the question. He asked me the question after purchasing a tax deed on a house in Florida. His question was, I just got a tax deed now what do I do? Read More...

Is Competition Affecting my Success? by Tony Martinez

Tax lien investing was once a delicious little secret, but increasingly people are discovering this efficient tool for making substantial profits. What you may not know is that you can use funds from your retirement account to purchase tax lien certificates. The "Secret" Is in the Plan The key is to have the right type of retirement plan. Read More...

Indiana: A Tax Lien AND Deed Investor's Dream - By Tony Martinez

Whether you prefer tax liens or tax deeds you will find what you are looking for in Indiana. The tax sales in Indiana satisfy the needs of both the tax lien and the tax deed investor. In fact the ninety-two counties in Indiana are allowed to hold three different types of tax sales. The three types Read More...

Quickest Way to Get Monthly Cash Flow By Tony Martinez

One of the quickest ways to get monthly cash flow is to purchase a property, hold it, and rent it out. Tax deed and tax lien investing is essentially a precursor to becoming a landlord. It’s inevitable you will get a property that you will want to hold onto; this could be due to the high rental returns in the area or you’re just waiting for the market to improve… Read More...

Tax Liens 101 - How to Profit from Delinquencies by Tony Martinez

Most people don’t lose their primary residence for a couple hundred, or even a couple thousand dollars in back taxes. The vast majority of tax lien certificates on primary residences do redeem, which insures the 18%, or 25%, or 36% interest to the investor. Tax Lien Certificates – Can you really get properties Read More...

Tony Martinez Reveal Two Lucrative Strategies for Investing in Tax Liens

Many of our successful clients have no interest in acquiring real estate, and feel much more comfortable just earning high interest only. You can definitely invest in tax lien certificates and earn the high interest rates of, say, 25% or 36%, and basically eliminate the possibility of acquiring the property. Read More...

How to Determine the Value of a Commercial Property by Tony Martinez

While we typically train our students in residential real estate investing, there are always those who are very interested in purchasing commercial properties. If you take a look at a tax deed or lien sale list, you’ll notice the bulk of the available properties are residential. Read More...

Tony Martinez Reviews Varying Levels of Competition Among TLC Markets

Yes and No. If you don’t have a nationwide strategy and you restrict yourself only to your local market then yes, there could be a lot of tax lien certificates competition. If you have a nationwide strategy where you have access to safely acquire tax lien certificates nationwide right from the comfort of your Read More...

What to Look for in a Partnership - Pros and Cons - by Tony Martinez

In a word, no! When we acquire a tax lien certificate, in essence what we’ve done is paid someone else’s delinquent tax bill for them. In return, we receive a tax lien certificate on the property. Because the tax lien certificate has grace period of 1 – 4 years, we just bought the property owner Read More...

What to do Before the Auction - Tony Martinez

Tax Lien certificates are offered to the public in twenty-one states. New York and Ohio sell their tax lien certificates in bulk to large investment firms. A complete list of the tax lien states can be found in my blog post titled “Where to buy tax lien certificates”. The amount of interest paid on tax Read More...

Tax Foreclosure Auctions 101 - Tony Martinez

If I decide to go to a Tax Lien Certificate sale or Tax Lien Certificate auction, how does the sale work? There are four basic types of tax lien certificate auctions or tax lien certificate sales; bid down the interest rate, rotational bidding, premium bidding, and bid-down ownership. Read More...

What to Do When You Inherit an Existing Tenant - by Tony Martinez

If you invest in tax liens and tax deeds you will undoubtedly come across an amazing property that has an existing tenant in it. So what do you do? Do you move on and try to find an empty property? Read More...

Tony Martinez on Working Smarter, Not Harder

It is a common misconception that we need to work long and tiring hours in order to be productive and to get ahead. The reality is if we work smarter, as opposed to endlessly laboring, we can reach our goals faster while enjoying plenty of sleep, exercise, and vacation time. Read More...

Leverage Your Business with Tech - Tony Martinez' Most Powerful Tools

An organized workspace helps facilitate a busy and successful business. With technology advancing daily, it is possible to incorporate a few smart tools that will help simplify research, save time, and will not cost you a huge initial investment. One fantastic example I always mention at the workshops is the Livescribe pen Read More...

Tips to Maintaining Focus - by Tony Martinez

Now that spring is officially here, talk of spring and summer trips have begun. When the weather is nice, folks tend to use that as a good excuse to take things easy for a little while. This is precisely however why this time of year is an excellent time to keep pace by... Read More...

How Important is Due Diligence? by Tony Martinez

If you have just been introduced to the world of tax lien certificate investing you may be wondering how you go about buying them. There is no reason to be intimidated by the process; however, I do recommend that you seek out the advice of an experienced tax lien investor before you invest any of Read More...

Where Can I Find TLC's - Tony Martinez on the Research Process

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get from people that are interested in investing in tax lien certificates is ‘where can I find them?’ Through assignment purchasing, tax lien certificates are literally available 365 days per year if you know where to look for them. In this blog post, I will Read More...

How to Read a Sheriff's Tax Deed Sale List By Tony Martinez

An important part of our mentor programs involve teaching students how to read lists. This is a critical skill, without it people pass on opportunities without even realizing it. A common point of confusion among beginners is... Read More...

Indiana Continued: Part 3 - by Tony Martinez

Alright folks, I know you have been sitting on the edge of your seats waiting for me to discuss Indiana Commissioner deed sales. So I’ll just jump right in. I’m sure my articles were the first introduction of Indiana deed sales to many students. It is a common misunderstanding that Indiana only has liens available ... Read More...

Indiana Continued: Part 2 - by Tony Martinez

Today I will continue to discuss the details of Indiana’s unique tax sale structure as promised in my last article. As a review, they have three types of tax sales: Tax Lien Sale, Commissioners Certificate Sale, and Tax Deed Sale. The Tax Lien Sale held in each county may make the most sense to you. It... Read More...

Indiana Continued: Another Look! by Tony Martinez

The tax sales in Indiana are very unique. As I’m sure you have noticed by now no two states are identical in how they operate their tax lien and/or tax deed sales. Whether you have decided to invest in liens or deeds, Indiana can satisfy the needs of either investment type. The counties have permission... Read More...

Choosing the Right Mentors - by Tony Martinez

It’s amazing what we can learn if we open our minds to the ideas and experiences of others. Of course, it’s not hard to find people ready and willing to tell you what they know... some of it is valuable, and some not. The important thing is to glean the real nuggets from shared ... Read More...

Learn Tony Martinez' Strategy on Building a Tax Lien Investment Portfolio

First let me explain how the process works. When you acquire a tax lien certificate, you are now the first position lien holder of record. In essence what you did was pay the delinquent tax bill, and in return you received a tax lien certificate. When the delinquent property taxes are paid, you receive all Read More...

What Does "First Position" Really Mean? By Tony Martinez

A Tax Lien Certificate is a first-position lien on real estate due to delinquent property taxes. Once property taxes on a property are one year delinquent, the county government places a lien on the property which is commonly referred to as a tax lien certificate. Read More...

Tony Martinez: Investing in TLC's with Limited Capital

One of the important questions we receive is how to make money with Tax Lien Certificates if I’m starting with limited capital? Read More...

Investment Property Stumbling Block - A Review by Tony Martinez

For our students who are deep into researching tax deed or tax lien properties, they will often stumble across what is generally referred to as a property transfer history. A property transfer history is exactly what it sounds like. You can see record of who the previous owners ... Read More...

Tony Martinez Reveals Some of the Risks Associated with Tax Lien Investing

Becoming a Tax Lien Certificate investor can obviously be a lucrative investment strategy; so what are the risk factors one should know about. The more obvious risk factors are: Bankruptcy, IRS liens, environmental issues, worthless lands, condemned structures, undesirable neighborhoods, and industrial properties. Read More...

Tony Martinez Discusses Investing in Tax Lien Certificates on Tax Foreclosed Homes, Safely!

Do you have to go to auctions to invest in Tax Lien Certificates and Tax Foreclosed Homes? Answer: No. Is it possible to safely invest in Tax Lien Certificates and Tax Foreclosed Homes in other parts of the country without being there? Answer: Yes. Read More...