Property Auctions in Riverside County

Imagine snagging a house for just $100. In Riverside County, California, one of the state’s booming real estate areas, approximately 1,000 properties are set to be auctioned off. These homes have gone up for auction due to unpaid property taxes for a minimum of five years.

Bidding begins as low as $100 for some homes in Lake Elsinore and Wildomar, while the priciest property on the auction block—a significant commercial site—starts at $4.5 million.

Riverside County, the fourth most populated county in California, encompasses tourist spots like Palm Springs and growing cities such as Menifee, not to mention towns along the I-10 corridor like Beaumont.

This April, the Board of Supervisors greenlighted online auctions via Bid4Assets.com, a platform that the county has relied on to deal with delinquent properties and recover unpaid taxes.

Details on how many of the 946 properties start at the lowest price weren’t shared, but officials indicated that several others are also listed for $100 or $500—showing a notable reduction in starting prices.

If the property owner can pay off their taxes before the auction date, their home will be removed from the selling list.

County representatives noted that the properties listed at lower bids didn’t find buyers in past auctions, leading to the diminished starting prices.

Board Chair Karen Spiegel mentioned that online auctions allow bidders to participate remotely, which is a significant convenience. However, not all residents are on board with the idea.

Local resident Brad Anderson voiced his concerns during a public discussion, suggesting that “regular people like me who have to use other people’s Wi-Fi” should have alternatives to internet bidding, rather than being pushed into potentially intense online competitions for property.