The Wayne County Treasurer’s Office is reminding property owners that the deadline is fast approaching to claim any leftover money from the sale of their property at upcoming tax auctions.
Property owners must file a claim by Wednesday, July 1, otherwise they run the risk of forfeiting their rights to the funds, Treasurer Eric Sabree said in a news release. Filing a claim essentially kicks off the multi-step process of trying to get surplus proceeds if a property sells for more than its minimum bid amount during auctions in September and October.
That money comes from the sale of the foreclosed property at the auction, minus taxes and fees owed to the county that prompted the foreclosure.
The Michigan Supreme Court, in a 2020 ruling, decided that former property owners are entitled to the windfall from tax foreclosure sales. A few years later, the state supreme court clarified that its ruling is retroactive, meaning owners of properties that were foreclosed before 2020 may make a claim for the remaining funds on the sale of their former property.
About 3,700 properties, nearly half of which are vacant lots, were foreclosed this year and are headed to the auctions in the fall.
Here are the steps of claiming surplus proceeds, according to the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office:
- To recoup any leftover money, eligible property owners and lienholders must file what’s known as a “Notice of Intent to Claim Interest in Foreclosure Sales Proceeds” by July 1, 2026. Download the form by going to the “Claims & Auctions” page on the county treasurer’s website here: www.waynecountymi.gov/Government/Elected-Officials/Treasurer/Claims-Auctions
- The form must be filled out, notarized and then sent to the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office in person or through certified mail before the July 1 deadline. The address is: 400 Monroe St., Detroit, MI 48226 (5th Floor)
- Those who file a claim are expected to hear back from the treasurer’s office by Jan. 31, 2027 on whether there are any leftover funds, and the next steps involving the Wayne County Circuit Court. The claimant must then file a motion with the court between Feb. 1 and May 15 next year.
For more information, go to www.waynecountymi.gov/Government/Elected-Officials/Treasurer/Claims-Auctions. The treasurer’s office is also directing claimants who need help to the State Bar of Michigan Legal Resource and Referral Center. Go to lrs.michbar.org or call 800-968-0738.
Reach reporter Nushrat Rahman at nrahman@freepress.com.
