Aroostook County, ME tax sales

Local offices

County notes

• •Aroostook County runs no tax sale. Every town, city and plantation handles its own liens and sells its own foreclosed property, and Maine Revenue Services handles the county's unorganized townships.
• •Houlton (county seat): the Tax Collector at the Town Office, 21 Water Street, Houlton (207-521-2949 direct, 207-532-7111 office, tax.collector@houlton-maine.com) publishes no tax-acquired property list online; ask the office what it holds.
• •Fort Fairfield: all offers on foreclosed property go through its contracted broker, Dobbs Realty (Frederick Dobbs, 92 Bennet Dr., Caribou, 207-492-1300). Offers are presented to the Town Council at its next regular meeting, generally the third Wednesday of each month.
• •Fort Fairfield publishes its foreclosure list by tax year, along with lien lists, on its Tax Liens and Foreclosure page. Its 2026 foreclosure list for unpaid 2023 taxes, updated June 17, 2026, shows four properties remaining. Its liens foreclose from January to April, about 18 months after filing, and it gives the 90-day statutory notice before listing a foreclosed parcel.
• •Presque Isle (City Hall, 12 Second Street, 207-760-2700) last offered tax-acquired parcels as individual bid packages on its Bids and Awards page in 2020; ask City Hall what it holds now.
• •Caribou (City Office, 25 High Street, 207-493-3324) publishes no tax-acquired property list online; ask the city office which broker, if any, holds its listings.
• •Madawaska (Town Office, 328 St. Thomas Street, Suite 101, 207-728-6351), Fort Kent (207-834-3090), Limestone (207-325-4704) and Washburn (207-455-8485) publish no tax-acquired property list online; contact the town office.
• •Unorganized townships: Maine Revenue Services no longer sells by sealed bid. State tax-acquired parcels are listed with a real estate broker on On Point Realty's State Tax-Acquired Properties page (agent Tasha Massey, 207-754-5058).
• •For every other Aroostook municipality, call the town or plantation office and ask whether it holds foreclosed property and which broker lists it.
• •Title passes by municipal quitclaim deed after an automatic foreclosure, so order a title search before making an offer.

Maine rules

Redemption

The owner, or anyone with an interest, may pay the tax, interest and costs at any time within 18 months after the lien certificate is filed in the registry of deeds. 30 to 45 days before the foreclosure date the treasurer must notify the owner named on the lien and each record mortgage holder; anyone not given timely notice may redeem until 30 days after the notice is actually given. After foreclosure there is no right to redeem, although the municipality may choose to sell or convey the property back to the former owner, and the former owner is paid any excess when the property is sold.36 M.R.S. 943, lien certificate creates a tax lien mortgage to the municipality, deemed foreclosed 18 months after filing36 M.R.S. 943Verified Sep 28, 2026

Deed deposit

No statutory deposit. A broker sale follows ordinary purchase-and-sale terms the municipality negotiates; where a municipality sells by its own method after a failed listing, its legislative body's authorization and published terms set any deposit.36 M.R.S. 943-C, sale of tax-acquired property through a licensed real estate broker and payment of excess sale proceeds to the former owner36 M.R.S. 943-CVerified Sep 28, 2026

Surplus proceeds

The former owner (the owner of record at foreclosure, or heirs, devisees or personal representatives) receives the sale proceeds above: all taxes owed; the taxes that would have been assessed while the municipality owned it; accrued interest; advertising, mailing, recording, listing and broker fees not covered by the broker agreement; other costs of selling, maintaining or improving the property, including documented administrative costs and reasonable attorney's fees; the cost of the lien and foreclosure process; and unpaid sewer, water or other utility charges and municipal fees. The former owner may request an itemized accounting. The municipality mails notice at least 30 days before paying, publishes notice for 3 weeks if the owner cannot be found, and sends unclaimed proceeds to the Unclaimed Property Fund 30 days after the last notice. If the municipality keeps the property, it pays the excess using an independent licensed appraisal instead of a sale price. Accepting the excess waives the former owner's right to challenge the taking.36 M.R.S. 943-C, sale of tax-acquired property through a licensed real estate broker and payment of excess sale proceeds to the former owner36 M.R.S. 943-CVerified Sep 28, 2026

Governing statute

36 M.R.S. 943-C36 M.R.S. 943-C, sale of tax-acquired property through a licensed real estate broker and payment of excess sale proceeds to the former owner36 M.R.S. 943-CVerified Sep 28, 2026

What the deed conveys: Quitclaim only, with no warranty. A challenge to the validity of the tax taking may be brought for 5 years after the redemption period expires (liens recorded after October 13, 2014), 2 years for commercial real estate on liens recorded after June 30, 2026, and only 6 months after a code enforcement officer certifies residential tax-acquired property abandoned (liens recorded after December 1, 2021). The former owner's receipt of excess proceeds waives that challenge. A former owner or mortgagee who was not given the required notices may have a late redemption right (see redemption). Budget for a title search and, where a title insurer requires it, a quiet-title action under 946.36 M.R.S. 946-B, time limits to challenge a tax taking (5 years; 2 years for commercial real estate liens recorded after June 30, 2026)36 M.R.S. 946-BVerified Sep 28, 2026 See the due diligence guide.

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