One of the most common questions new investors ask is: "Where do I actually find these auctions?" The answer depends on the type of auction you're looking for — but once you know where to look, you'll find more opportunities than you can pursue.
1. Your County's Official Website
This is the single most underused source for auction deals. Every county in the United States is required to publicly advertise tax sales, foreclosure auctions, and sheriff's sales. These notices are published on county websites, often under the Treasurer, Tax Collector, or Sheriff's Department section.
Why it's valuable: These are primary-source listings with no middleman, no aggregator markup, and often very low starting bids. The downside is that each county has its own format, schedule, and rules, so you'll need to learn your specific county's system.
- Search: "[your county name] tax sale" or "[county] sheriff sale"
- Sign up for email alerts if available
- Check the county recorder's office for lis pendens filings (early foreclosure notices)
2. Auction.com
Auction.com is the largest online real estate auction platform in the United States, listing thousands of foreclosure, REO, and traditional auction properties every month. It's free to browse and provides detailed property information, photos, and title reports for many listings.
Features worth using:
- Saved search alerts by zip code, price range, and property type
- Title and lien reports available pre-auction on many properties
- Online bidding with a transparent bid history
Note: Buyer's premiums on Auction.com typically run 5%, so build that into your calculations.
3. Hubzu
Hubzu is another major online auction platform focused on bank-owned (REO) and short sale properties. It tends to have strong inventory in certain markets and offers a clean interface for searching by location and price.
Hubzu is particularly useful for investors who want REO properties — these are bank-owned after failed foreclosure sales, which means they often have clearer title than courthouse-step foreclosures.
4. Local Auction Companies
Every region has local auction firms that specialize in real estate. These companies often handle estate sales, municipality-owned property, and private seller auctions that never appear on national platforms. A simple Google search for "real estate auction [your city or state]" will surface these.
Benefits of local auction companies:
- Less competition from out-of-state investors
- Auctioneers who know the local market well
- Sometimes allow pre-auction property tours
- Estate sales often priced to sell quickly
5. Williams & Williams, Ten-X, and Other Niche Platforms
Beyond the two major platforms, several niche services list specific types of auction inventory:
- Ten-X — focuses on commercial and high-value residential properties
- Williams & Williams — strong in mid-tier residential markets
- GovSales.gov — government-owned properties including HUD homes and USDA seized assets
- RealtyTrac — aggregates pre-foreclosure, foreclosure, and bank-owned listings with ownership data
Building Your Deal Flow System
The most effective approach is to combine sources into a simple routine. Pick two or three sources, set up saved search alerts, and review new listings every Monday morning. Create a simple spreadsheet to track properties you're researching, with columns for address, estimated value, auction date, minimum bid, and your go/no-go decision.
Consistency beats intensity. Investors who check their sources weekly and research every viable listing systematically will always outperform those who scramble when they hear about a deal at the last minute.
The best deals go to the people who found them first and did the work before everyone else showed up.
Start with your county website and one major platform. Master those. Then expand your sources as your confidence grows.