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Columbia County
Author: Jessa May Bautista
Reviewed by: Josh Blanchard
Fact- Checked by: Jack Aldous
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Columbia County, Wisconsin, sells homes and land that people lost after they stopped paying property taxes. If you have ever wanted to buy property at a lower price, this county’s sale might interest you.
Columbia County does not sell tax liens. The county takes full ownership of a property first, through a court foreclosure process. Only after that does it sell the land or house to a new buyer using a sealed bid. This is called a tax deed sale.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
Why Columbia County, Wisconsin Owns These Properties
Property taxes pay for roads, schools, and county services. When an owner skips paying for too long, the debt grows every month. If nothing changes, Columbia County starts a legal foreclosure and eventually becomes the legal owner. Once that happens, the county does not want to keep the land. It wants to sell it and get the unpaid tax money back.
One thing worth knowing: Wisconsin does not do tax lien investing like some other states. Nobody buys a certificate and waits for interest. Columbia County takes the whole property, then resells it directly. That is the entire reason it is called a tax deed, not a lien.
New Foreclosure Fees to Know
Columbia County recently added new fees tied to the foreclosure timeline. Starting May 1, 2026, a $60 foreclosure fee gets added per parcel. Starting June 1, 2026, that jumps to a $225 foreclosure fee per parcel. These fees fall on the delinquent property, not on buyers, but they show how the county is tightening its process this year.
Who Runs the Sale at Columbia County, Wisconsin
The Columbia County Treasurer’s Office manages the whole process. Deborah Raimer currently serves as Treasurer. Her office publishes sale notices, collects bids, and issues deeds once a sale closes.
How Bidding Works at Columbia County, Wisconsin
Columbia County uses a blind sealed bid system, not a live online auction. That means you write down your offer, seal it, and turn it in. Nobody sees anyone else’s number until the county opens all the bids at once. The county keeps the right to accept or reject any bid, even one that meets the minimum.
Step-by-Step: How to Bid on a Columbia County Property
Notices are posted at the Portage Daily Register newspaper.
Call or email the Treasurer’s Office so you get notified when a new sale opens.
Use the county’s Ascent Land Records system to check tax history and ownership.
Contact the Register of Deeds to search for claims still tied to the land.
Call the local town, village, or city to see what the property can legally be used for.
Fill it out completely and attach your 10% earnest money.
Mark the envelope “Land Sale Bid” with the parcel number, and drop it off before the deadline in the Notice of Sale.
If you win, pay the rest within 30 days, then record your deed.
Things to Check Before You Bid
Every property sells as is. Columbia County will not fix a roof, remove old junk, or settle boundary problems. Before sending in a bid, take time to:
Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the ownership title the county gets after a property owner fails to pay real estate taxes long enough to trigger foreclosure. The county then resells the property to the public.
No. Like every Wisconsin county, Columbia County does not sell lien certificates. It takes full title first, then sells the property outright.
Submit a sealed bid using the county’s Bid form, with your parcel number marked on the envelope, plus 10% earnest money. The bid must reach the Treasurer’s Office before the deadline in the Notice of Sale.
Yes. Your bid must meet or beat the appraised minimum bid listed in the sale notice.
Usually not on the inside. Properties sell as is, so plan on outside viewing and your own research.
Anyone who currently owes delinquent property taxes to Columbia County cannot submit a bid.
You lose your earnest money, and the county keeps it.
Sources:
Columbia County Wisconsin Land Sales
Columbia County Wisconsin Treasurer
Columbia County Wisconsin Website
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About Dustin Hahn
Dustin Hahn is a Tax Lien & Deed investor with over 22 years of experience and hundreds of deals under his belt. He created Tax Lien School.com to help you buy Tax Deeds up to 90% off mortgage free and earn up to 36% ROI with Tax Liens. This site was voted the “Most Useful Resource” for new investors. Dustin’s YouTube Channel is the #1 Channel on Tax Liens & Deeds with over 98,000 Subscribers and 3600 videos to help you start. “The Best Time To Start Real Estate Investing Was 20 Years Ago, The Second Best Time Is TODAY!”