Berrien County, MI
Final tax foreclosure sale on tax-sale.info, Oct 30, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. — last of three 2026 rounds
Berrien County, in southwest Michigan, runs its tax foreclosure auctions in three rounds, all online at www.tax-sale.info. The 2026 tax foreclosure sale was held on August 6 and the re-offer sale on September 25; the 2026 final tax sale is on October 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. That makes it the last chance this year at foreclosed parcels that didn't sell in the earlier rounds. Bidding and the parcel list are on tax-sale.info, which the treasurer's foreclosure page links to along with its FAQs on delinquency, forfeiture and foreclosure, and a page for former owners claiming excess proceeds.
By the time a Michigan parcel reaches auction, redemption is already over. Taxes left unpaid are returned as delinquent to the county on March 1, the property forfeits to the county treasurer the following March 1, and a circuit court foreclosure judgment follows, with every right of redemption expiring on the March 31 after it (MCL 211.78g, 211.78k). The state and local governments then get the first option to buy, and the county auctions what's left (MCL 211.78m). So a winning bid buys a deed with no post-sale redemption period — although some interests survive a Michigan tax foreclosure, including visible or recorded easements and certain recorded oil and gas leases and deed restrictions (MCL 211.78k(5)). Since 2020 the former owner can claim any surplus above the taxes and costs, starting with a notice due by the July 1 after foreclosure (MCL 211.78t), which is what Berrien's claim-for-excess-proceeds page is for: money bid above the minimum isn't the county's to keep.
Michigan rules at a glance
Michigan's timeline runs over roughly three years before a property ever reaches an investor: unpaid taxes are returned as delinquent on March 1, forfeited to the county treasurer the next March 1, and foreclosed by a circuit court judgment, with every right of redemption expiring on the March 31 after it (MCL 211.78g, 211.78k). Governments get the first option, then the county auctions what's left between July and November (MCL 211.78m). So unlike lien states, there's no redemption risk baked into a Michigan auction purchase — by the time you can bid, that window already closed. Since 2020 the former owner keeps a claim to any surplus, starting with a notice due by July 1 (MCL 211.78t).
The statute, the bidding and what goes wrong for new buyers are on the Michigan page; every sale date we have sourced for Berrien County is on the Berrien County page.
Property & tax profile
The median homeowner in Berrien County pays $2,429 a year in property tax — below the Michigan median of $2,904 (U.S.: $3,119). That is roughly what a typical home here owes for each year it goes unpaid — the debt that the opening bid at a deed sale is usually built from, plus interest and costs. Homes with a mortgage pay a median of $2,536; homes owned outright, $2,275.
On a home with a mortgage, the lender has its own reason to pay a delinquent tax bill: the tax lien outranks the mortgage, and a tax deed can wipe out the loan. On a home owned outright, nobody but the owner — or the heirs — has that reason. In Berrien County, 44.0% of owner-occupied homes are owned outright (Michigan: 42.2%, U.S.: 39.4%). About the same as the state as a whole.
17.2% of all housing units in Berrien County are vacant. 10.3% of all units are seasonal or vacation homes, empty by design rather than abandoned. The figure that matters for a buyer at the tax sale is the Census “other vacant” category — not for rent, not for sale, not a holiday home, but a catch-all that includes foreclosures, homes held up by legal proceedings or family reasons, homes needing repairs, and abandoned ones. Here it is 4.4% of all units (Michigan: 3.7%, U.S.: 3.6%). Close to the state rate.
Half of the homes in Berrien County were built in or before 1966 (Michigan: in or before 1972). The typical tax bill is 3.7% of the median household income of $65,425 (Michigan: 4.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25077, B25103, B25081, B25002, B25004, B25035, B19013) — see the figures on data.census.gov. Survey estimates with margins of error; anything too uncertain to state is left out.
Before you bid: Read the terms of sale on tax-sale.info before registering, check each parcel's status in the listing, and confirm anything unclear with the Berrien County Treasurer's Office, 701 Main Street, St. Joseph (269-983-7111, ext. 8569).
Official source: berriencounty.org — checked October 4, 2026
More sales: 41 other county sales are on the calendar in October 2026 — see them by date; or the upcoming sales in Michigan.
This page reflects publicly posted county auction notices as of publication and is general information, not financial or legal advice. Sale details can change — always confirm current terms with the county directly.