Special Luzerne County delinquent tax auction attracts large crowd of prospective bidders

A large crowd of prospective bidders appeared at last week’s Luzerne County delinquent tax auction, even though it was a smaller, special sale.

The county’s tax-claim operator started holding such special sales in addition to annual auctions to more quickly address delinquencies. Most of the properties listed last week belonged to owners who defaulted on payment plans in 2024.

County auctions have become increasingly popular in recent years, leading to more bidding competition and higher prices.

Officially called an “upset” sale, last week’s first-stage auction set minimum bids at the amount of delinquent real estate taxes and municipal liens owed.

Bidders also must accept responsibility for any outstanding mortgages and non-municipal liens attached to their purchases in upset auctions.

Nine of the 17 available properties sold for a total $402,283, which includes transfer tax, said Sean Shamany, of county tax-claim operator Elite Revenue Solutions LLC.

Competitive bidding

Bidder Samuel Ramirez Suero, of Cornelius, North Carolina, paid the highest price —$104,000 — for a two-story, single-family house at 64 Terrace St. in Wilkes-Barre, according to tax-claim records.

Bids started at $18,990 and shot up due to multiple bidders.

Built around 1920, the house on 0.1 acre is assessed at $80,100, property records show. It has 2,060 square feet of living space, including five bedrooms and two baths.

Francisco Fermin Blanco, of Osteen, Florida, paid the second highest bid of $82,000, also for a two-story, single-family house in Wilkes-Barre, records show.

Bidding started at $11,221 for the property at 102 Holland St.

Assessed at $50,300, this house on 0.06 acre was built around 1931 and contains 1,344-square feet of living space, including three bedrooms and two baths, records say.

Ranking third was a $53,000 bid from Jose Castro, of Scranton, for a two-story, single-family house at 211 Honey Pot St. in Nanticoke.

With an estimated construction date around 1900, the house on 0.14 acres has 1,540 square feet of living space plus an enclosed porch. It is assessed at $71,800. Bidding had started at $13,298.

The other properties that drew multiple bids:

• A 1,708-square-foot, two-story, single-family house built around 1900 at 10 Stauffer Ave. in Black Creek Township. Bidding started at $11,033, and prevailing bidder David Keller, of Macungie, purchased it for $27,000. The 0.52-acre property is assessed at $86,300.

• A one-story, single-family house at 1339 Salem Blvd. in Salem Township. Bidding started at $31,203, and it was acquired for $36,000 by Carlos Diaz Morales, of MJ Quality Properties LLC in Miami, Florida. The 0.57-acre property is assessed at $63,100. The house, built in 1940, has 784 square feet of living area plus an enclosed porch.

• A 0.27-acre paved, commercial parking lot adjacent to Bradford Street in Wilkes-Barre assessed at $23,900. Bids started at $5,043, and bidder Ramon Bravo, of Staten Island, New York, paid $19,500.

No competition

Three more buyers acquired properties by paying the minimum bid because there were no competitors.

These properties:

• 27 Goeringer Ave. in Hanover Township, a 1,704-square-foot, two-story single house built in 1928 on 0.08 acre assessed at $69,700. Bidder Yakayra Diaz, of Pearl River, New York, paid the minimum bid of $62,517.

• 1143 Exeter Ave., Exeter, a two-story house built in 1940 on 0.15 acre with 1,156 square feet of living space assessed at $94,600. Bidder Antonio Mannino, of Plains Township, paid $14,406.

• A vacant, 0.33-acre residential lot on East Tuscarora Drive in Hazle Township assessed at $23,200. Bidder Franchesca Restituyo Velez, of Bronx, New York, paid $3,861.

Unsold

Eight properties did not sell, which means they will advance to a free-and-clear “judicial” sale in 2026, when delinquent taxes and liens are removed, and bids are only to cover costs.

Properties become eligible for upset auction if the owners owe taxes dating back two years.

One property that did not sell last week contained the highest starting bid of the entire auction — $189,088. Currently listed under the ownership of David Fetch Jr., this residential property at 913 Wyoming Ave. in Wyoming carries delinquent taxes dating back to 2016, county records show.

Assessed at $444,700, the structure built in 1971 is nearly 4,000 square feet and sits on five acres, records show.

To avoid a sale, owners can pay everything owed dating back more than two years, enter into a standard payment plan if they haven’t defaulted on one the prior three years or obtain temporary removal through a court order or bankruptcy.

Elite Revenue said the Wyoming property was not listed in prior auctions because the owner obtained temporary removal through the court in September 2018 and filed a bankruptcy in 2021 that protected the property until the end of 2024.

Removals

A total 154 parcels were initially eligible for last week’s auction, and most owners ended up paying.

Approximately 33 properties were removed because the owners sought reprieve from the court, including eight parcels under the same ownership, Elite Revenue said.

Three properties were removed due to newly filed bankruptcies in Dallas, Hunlock and Sugarloaf townships, the tax-claim operator said.

The highest tax delinquency of these three is $62,408 for a commercial gas station/convenience store on Route 93 in Sugarloaf Township owned by Bob Bolus Sr. and Sophie Von Hake, records show. The delinquent taxes on this property date back to 2015, and past sales were prohibited due to bankruptcy protection,

Future sales

The county’s main annual free-and-clear auction is scheduled for Aug. 7, followed by the primary annual upset sale on Sept. 18.

Information on sales and the bidding process are posted on Elite Revenue’s site at luzernecountytaxclaim.com 30 days before each auction.

Elite Revenue has repeatedly emphasized to bidders that extensive research is necessary before they actively bid. The tax-claim bureau sells parcels without any warranties.