Yes. In Oregon, the two-year redemption period after a tax foreclosure judgment is exactly the window in which the owner can pay off the debt — and a sale is one way to do that. The title company pays the county the full redemption amount at closing, the foreclosure is satisfied, and you keep the remaining proceeds. The key is to close before the redemption period expires.
What the redemption period actually means
When the circuit court grants the county's foreclosure judgment, the property doesn't change hands. Instead, Oregon law gives the owner — and anyone else with a recorded interest in the property at the time of the judgment — two years to "redeem" it by paying all delinquent taxes, interest, penalties and costs. You can keep living there. If the full amount isn't paid by the deadline, the tax collector deeds the property to the county.
How a sale works at this stage
- The payoff is all-or-nothing. After judgment, Jackson County generally doesn't accept partial payments, so the sale needs to cover the full redemption amount. The title company requests the exact figure from the county.
- The money comes from the sale. You don't need to have the funds yourself. The payoff is taken out of the purchase price at closing and sent directly to the county.
- Other liens are paid too. Any mortgage or other recorded liens are paid from the same proceeds, and whatever is left goes to you.
Don't wait for the last few weeks
A sale takes some time to put together: an offer, a title search, a payoff from the county, sometimes paperwork from other lienholders or co-owners. If there are title issues — a deceased co-owner, a relative's name still on the deed, an old judgment — they take longer. Starting while there are months left, not days, makes it far more likely everything closes in time. If you've received the county's one-year notice, now is the time to act.
What if the redemption period has already ended?
Once the property is deeded to the county, the former owner can no longer sell it. The county may sell it, and under Oregon's surplus-proceeds law you may be able to claim money left over after the county's costs — see what happens to your equity. If you're not sure whether the deadline has passed, call the Jackson County Tax Collector or call us and we'll help you check.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice, and Rogue Valley Cash Buyers is not affiliated with any county or government agency. Deadlines and amounts depend on your specific account — the Jackson County (or Josephine County) Tax Collector can confirm exactly what you owe and where your property is in the process, and an Oregon attorney can advise on your situation.