2005 Scavenger Sale Begins December 28, Pappas Announces

The biennial Scavenger Sale involving Cook County properties on which property taxes have gone unpaid for two or more years dating back to tax year 1984 will begin on December 28, 2005, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said today.

The sale, which will continue through January 17, 2006, will be held at the Cook County Juvenile Justice Center, 1100 S. Hamilton Ave., Chicago, in the Lower Level Auditorium. It will start at 8 a.m. each business day and continue until 2 p.m. or until a day's offering is completed.

The Scavenger Sale is an auction held in odd-numbered years of the unpaid taxes on properties delinquent for two or more years. Successful registered bidders can go to Cook County Circuit Court to acquire the deed to a property if owners do not redeem the taxes in a period ranging from six months to two years. Registration for the sale closed on December 15.

Some 20,000 Property Index Numbers are to be offered. All have at least two years of unpaid taxes for tax years 1984 through 2003 (calendar years 1985 through 2004). Lists of the PINs were published in Chicago and community newspapers.

Owners of properties on the Scavenger list can pay before the auction day for their properties by cashier's or certified check, money order or cash at the Office of the Cook County Treasurer, 118 N. Clark, St., Chicago, Room 112.

Bids start at $250 or half of the taxes due if they are less than $500 and rise in $50 increments. When bids reach $1,000 the increments become $100. Successful bidders pay by cashier's check, money order or cash at the Treasurer's Office.

A re-offer day - of PINs left after sale - will be held on January 19, 2006.

The schedule of the sale, by township:

December 28 - Barrington, Berwyn, Bloom townships. December 29-Bloom, Bremen.
December 30 - Bremen, Calumet, Cicero, Elk Grove, Evanston, Hanover, Lemont, Leyden, Lyons, Maine.
January 4, 2006 - Maine, New Trier, Niles, Northfield, Norwood Park, Oak Park, Orland, Palatine, Palos, Proviso, Rich.
January 5 - River Forest, Riverside, Schaumburg, Stickney, Thornton.
January 6 - Thornton.
January 9 - Thornton, Wheeling.
January 10 - Wheeling, Worth, Hyde Park.
January 11 - Hyde Park, Jefferson, Lake.
January 12 - Lake.
January 13 - Lake, Lake View, North Chicago, Rogers Park, South Chicago.
January 17 - South Chicago, West Chicago.
January 19 - All townships (re-offer day).