House Bill 335 Impact on Harris County Public Auctions

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House Bill 335Impact on Harris County Public
Auctions

• Office of Paul Bettencourt Tax Assessor-Collector
  Harris County, Texas

Presented by Jacqueline Smith
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House Bill 335 changes the law for purchasing
public auction property in Harris County.

• Authored by Houston-area Representative Peggy
  Hamric
• Major Changes
• Successful purchasers at Tax Sales cannot owe
  delinquent taxes
• If you owe delinquent taxes, you must pay them
  before receiving your deed
• Failure to pay delinquent taxes will not void the
  sale, but the Constables will not execute the
  deed.
• Will extend redemption period which does not
  begin until the deed is filed
• This is not grounds for a refund, all money will
  be processed timely
• Applies to delinquencies owed to counties, and
  independent school districts cities with
  property located within Harris County

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How Does This Bill Affect Me?
Beginning with October Tax Sale

• Bidders need to register to bid at the Constables
  Sale
• Registration begins at 830 AM on sale day
• Bidders will be given a numbered bid card to
  place bids
• Bidders may only bid in the name listed in the
  registration
• Bidders may register as more than one person
  but the registration bid number used to place the
  bid will determine how the field receipt and deed
  will be issued.

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Registration

• Beginning with the October Sales, there will be a
  registration table staffed by the Tax Office and
  Linebarger firm, registering all bidders complete
  with index cards for bidders issued in the name
  as it should appear on the deed.
• Registration will begin each sale date at 830 am
• Index cards will be large enough for easy viewing
  the color will vary from month to month.
• We will scan drivers licenses in order to
  expedite registration, but we will manually enter
  the bidder information for anyone without a TDL
• The name associated with the number on the index
  card will be the name that the constable will use
  in issuing the field receipt and drafting the
  deed. The new law requires the constable to
  execute the deed ONLY in the name of the person
  bidding.

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Automated Process for Bidders, Taxing Units and
Constables

• The Harris County Tax Office will have an
  automated process for bidders, taxing units, and
  Constables at our website
• www.hctax.net

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Introduction Page
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Request for Tax Statement
All successful purchasers at tax sales must
submit a Request for Tax Statement to the Harris
County Tax Assessor-Collector.

• The on-line account manager for purchasers will
  enable them to itemize properties and complete
  the required form online. This information can
  be saved and returned to for updating at any
  time.
• The Request for Tax Statement must be in writing
  and notarized.

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Automated Process

• After the Request for Tax Statement is completed
  online, the purchaser will be able to print it
  out, with all captured information, to be
  notarized and delivered to the Tax Office along
  with a 10 fee.
• Presentment of the Request along with the 10 fee
  will begin the certification process.
• EVERY REQUEST MUST BE NOTARIZED TO BE VALID.
  NO REQUEST WILL BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT THE PROPER
  NOTARIZATION.
• The original Statement of Taxes will be mailed to
  the purchaser at the address provided. There will
  be no will-call service available for
  purchasers to pick up Statements directly from
  the Tax Office.
• It is not necessary to have the Statement of
  Taxes in hand when you bid, however the Constable
  cannot execute the deed until the purchaser has
  successfully obtained a Statement issued by the
  Tax Office. So get your Requests in early!

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Online Reporting Manager

• The online Reporting Manager for taxing units
  will notify taxing units of all pending Requests
  for Tax Statements submitted for their
  jurisdiction via email.
• Taxing units should then log on to the Tax
  Office website and complete the requested
  information. Log on to

www.hctax.net
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Online Submission

• Upon receipt of the Request from purchaser, the
  Harris County Tax Office will verify personal
  liability years and include that information
  along with the Request.
• The taxing unit need only run a statement for the
  personal liability years as indicated and fill in
  the amount owed for those years on the online
  form.
• If there is no delinquency, just enter 0 in the
  blank. Once you enter information on this page
  it will be sent directly to the HCTO for
  processing.
• The Tax Office will compile the information sent
  from each taxing unit and produce the Statement
  of Taxes which will then be notarized and mailed
  to the Requestor.

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Constables will have online viewing capability
for all Statements issued by the Tax Office

• When the Tax Office completes and notarizes a
  Statement, a duplicate original will be scanned
  in to a secured web page for viewing by
  Constables and their deputies only.
• Renewed Statements will replace the expired ones
  only upon completion of a new Request and
  issuance of a new Statement.
• Following each sale, precincts who want hard
  copies sent to them will deliver a list of all
  successful bidders for that month to the Tax
  Office.
• The Tax Office will copy and attach the
  Statements they have on file and forward the
  hardcopy to the constables office attached to
  their list and in the order listed.
• If a Statement is not completed, expired, or has
  not been requested, the Tax Office will note this
  on the transmittal from the constables office
  and return with the batch.

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Proposed Timeline

• Requests received by the 5th of the month will be
  researched and transmitted to the other taxing
  units by the 15th of the month.
• Other taxing units will have until the 25th of
  the month to prepare their statement to the Tax
  Office.
• The Tax Office will compile information and issue
  Statements by the 30th of the month.
• The Tax Office will accept applications beginning
  immediately. We do not require them to apply in
  advance or to have the statement at the time of
  the sale, but we encourage regular buyers to do
  so in order to prepare as many Statements as
  possible by batch process.

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Request Forms

• Request forms can be found on our Internet site,
  as well as the Linebarger Perdue law firms
  websites. Forms downloaded off any of these sites
  must be printed, notarized and brought or mailed
  to the tax office along with 10.00 before we
  begin processing the Request.
• We will accept applications at any time, during
  business hours at the downtown Tax Office, 1001
  Preston at Main. The timeline is a guideline to
  encourage early Requests.

Online service available 24/7
www.hctax.net
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Forms

• Request for Statement of Taxes

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Taxing unit Transmittal Request
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Statement of Taxes
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Were Here To Help. . .

• Office of Paul Bettencourt Tax
  Assessor-Collector Harris County, Texas
  713-368-2000

www.hctax.net