Why County Matters
Same Michigan Law, Different Local Process
Michigan's tax-foreclosure and mortgage-foreclosure statutes apply the same way in every county. What varies is who actually runs the process day to day: your county treasurer decides whether a hardship or payment plan exists for delinquent taxes, your county sheriff sets the weekday and location for mortgage foreclosure sheriff's sales, and each county picks its own auction platform and legal newspaper for publishing notices.
That means two homeowners in identical situations — one in Wayne County, one in Allegan County — can be dealing with completely different offices, forms, and deadlines even though the underlying law is the same. This page collects that local information in one place for 13 Michigan counties, sourced directly from each county's own treasurer, sheriff, or court website.
Verify Before You Rely On This
County offices change auction vendors, sale days, and phone numbers from year to year. Treat everything below as a starting point for your own call to the office, not as a substitute for it — especially anything marked (call to confirm), which means we could not verify it from an official source as of this writing.
Jump To Your County
Counties Covered
| County |
Tax FGU |
Tax Auction Window |
Sheriff Sale Day |
| Wayne | County (self-designated) | Sept & Oct | Weekly, day not confirmed |
| Oakland | County (self-designated) | Aug & Oct | Tuesdays |
| Macomb | County (self-designated) | Sept & Oct | Fridays |
| Genesee | County (self-designated) | Sept & Oct | Weekly, day not confirmed |
| Washtenaw | County (self-designated) | Begins July | Thursdays |
| Livingston | State of Michigan | July | Wednesdays |
| Ingham | County (self-designated) | Aug & Oct | Thursdays (usually) |
| Eaton | County (self-designated) | September | Thursdays |
| Monroe | County (self-designated) | Mid-to-late Aug | Not confirmed |
| Ottawa | County (self-designated) | Aug, Sept & Oct | Not confirmed |
| Kent | County (self-designated) | From ~July | Not confirmed |
| Allegan | County (self-designated) | Jul–Nov window | 1st & 3rd Thursdays |
| Jackson | County (self-designated) | August | Not confirmed |
Not Sure Which Kind of Foreclosure You're In?
Tell us your county and situation and we'll help you figure out what you're actually dealing with.
County Details
Foreclosure Contacts & Process, County by County
Wayne County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Wayne County Treasurer (Eric R. Sabree) — 400 Monroe St, 5th Fl, Detroit, MI 48226 — (313) 224-5990 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated Foreclosing Governmental Unit. Runs its own Hardship Extension and payment plans (SPA, IRSPA, DOOE, REGSPA).
Hardship Extension infoTax Auction
Run in-house by the Treasurer. Two annual auctions, typically September and October. Contact (313) 224-5990 or WCTauction@waynecountymi.gov.
Auction infoSheriff's Office
Wayne County Sheriff's Office — 5301 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48211 — Admin (313) 833-0864, Civil/Court Services (313) 224-2260 —
Sheriff ConnectSheriff Sale Day
Weekly, 11:00 a.m., Erma Henderson Auditorium (13th floor), Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. Specific weekday not confirmed from an official source — call to confirm.
Oakland County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Oakland County Treasurer's Office — 1200 N. Telegraph Rd, Pontiac, MI 48341 — (248) 858-0611 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU. "Property Tax Foreclosure Prevention Assistance" — free, confidential help for residential and commercial owners.
Program pageTax Auction
Run by Title Check, LLC. Virtual "Land Sale" auction, typically late August (10am–7pm) with an October re-offer for unsold parcels.
Land Sale pageSheriff's Office
Oakland County Sheriff's Office — 1200 N. Telegraph Rd, Bldg 38E, Pontiac, MI 48341 — Civil Unit (248) 452-9725
Sheriff Sale Day
Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m., Oakland County Courthouse, 1st Floor, 1200 N. Telegraph Rd, Pontiac. First reading of all properties; bidding begins roughly an hour later.
Legal Notice Publication
Not confirmed from an official source — call to confirm before citing.
Macomb County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Macomb County Treasurer's Office (Lawrence Rocca) — 1 S. Main St, 2nd Fl, Mount Clemens, MI 48043 — (586) 469-5190, appointments (586) 469-5446 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU. Pay As You Stay (PAYS), Tax Foreclosure Avoidance Agreement, and Delinquent Property Tax Installment Plan (DPTIP). Free counseling via MSU Extension, (586) 469-6430.
Tax Foreclosure PreventionTax Auction
Run via Zeus Auction (online). Statutory window is the third Tuesday in July through the first Tuesday in November.
Auction and claimsSheriff's Office
Macomb County Sheriff's Office, Civil Division — 10 N. Main St, 1st Fl, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043 — (586) 307-9383 —
websiteSheriff Sale Day
Fridays, 10:00 a.m., 1st Floor Jury Room, Macomb County Circuit Court building.
Legal Notice Publication
Tax-foreclosure notices: The Macomb Daily. Mortgage-foreclosure sale notices: Macomb County Legal News, published 4 consecutive weeks before the sale.
Genesee County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Genesee County Treasurer's Office — 324 S. Saginaw St, Suite 2A, Flint, MI 48502 — (810) 257-3054 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU. In-house hardship program can pause or extend foreclosure up to a year and set up a payment plan; also promotes Michigan's poverty/HOPE exemption.
FAQ pageTax Auction
In-house "Tax Foreclosed Property Auction," typically September and October (minimum-bid sale, re-offer, then no-reserve sale).
Sheriff's Office
Genesee County Sheriff's Office — 1002 S. Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502 — Administration (810) 257-3406. No independently confirmed official website URL.
Sheriff Sale Day
Held at the place of holding Circuit Court, 11:00 a.m. Specific weekday not confirmed — call to confirm.
Washtenaw County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Washtenaw County Treasurer's Office — 200 N. Main St, Suite 200, Ann Arbor, MI 48107 — (734) 222-6600 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU. Hardship Extension Application covers deferment and extension from foreclosure.
Tax Auction
Begins in July, run in-house by the Treasurer as FGU, via an online bidding platform. Exact vendor varies by year — confirm current cycle at washtenaw.org/property-auctions.
Sheriff's Office
Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office — 2201 Hogback Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 — (734) 971-8400
Sheriff Sale Day
Every Thursday (except holidays), 10:00 a.m., Washtenaw County Courthouse, Ann Arbor.
Sales & adjournmentsLegal Notice Publication
Ann Arbor News / Legal News insert
Livingston County Tax FGU: State of Michigan
County Treasurer
Livingston County Treasurer (Jennifer M. Nash) — 200 E. Grand River Ave, Howell, MI 48843 — (517) 546-7010 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Livingston defers to the State — the Michigan Department of Treasury is the FGU here. Clear title passes to the State on April 1. A hardship/poverty exemption is available through the local assessor's office, but no named county-run installment program exists.
Tax Auction
State-run auction via Tax-Sale.info (1-800-259-7470), typically held in July.
Sheriff's Office
Livingston County Sheriff's Office, Civil Division — 150 S. Highlander Way, Howell, MI 48843 —
websiteSheriff Sale Day
Every Wednesday. Registration 10:00–10:15 a.m., sale begins 10:15 a.m., Livingston County Circuit Court, 204 S. Highlander Way, Howell. Winning bidder's cashier's check is due by noon the same day.
Legal Notice Publication
Livingston Daily (Livingston County Daily Press & Argus)
Ingham County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Ingham County Treasurer (Alan Fox) — P.O. Box 215, Mason, MI 48854 — (517) 676-7220 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU. Offers an ACH automatic-payment plan for signed delinquent-tax agreements, plus hardship programs for very-low-income households.
Forfeiture & Foreclosure pageTax Auction
Two in-house auctions per year, typically August and October (recent sale held at the Lansing Center).
Auctions pageSheriff's Office
Ingham County Sheriff's Office, Civil Division — 700 N. Cedar St, Mason, MI 48854 — (877) 200-1659, appointment only —
websiteSheriff Sale Day
Normally every Thursday. Registration 10:00–10:15 a.m., auction begins 10:15 a.m.
Legal Notice Publication
Ingham County Legal News, 157 W. Maple St, Mason, MI
Eaton County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Eaton County Treasurer (Bob Robinson) — 1045 Independence Blvd, Charlotte, MI 48813 — (517) 543-4262 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU. The county's "Guide to Tax Foreclosure" references hardship relief; no single permanently named installment plan — contact the Treasurer's office directly.
Tax Auction
Annual in-person auction, typically mid-September, at the Eaton County Governmental Complex. Pre-registration via BippusUSA.com.
Sheriff's Office
Eaton County Sheriff's Office / Civil Division — P.O. Box 296, Charlotte, MI 48813 — Civil Division (517) 543-7814, general (517) 543-3512 —
websiteSheriff Sale Day
Every Thursday, 10:00 a.m., Eaton County Courthouse / Governmental Complex, 1045 Independence Blvd, Charlotte.
Legal Notice Publication
Not confirmed from an official source — recommend calling the Civil Division at (517) 543-7814 to confirm.
Monroe County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Monroe County Treasurer — (734) 240-7365 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU. Hardship Extension (1-year extension, doesn't reduce the tax owed); separately, a Poverty Exemption under MCL 211.7u is filed with the local assessor/Board of Review, not the treasurer.
Foreclosure infoTax Auction
Run via Tax-Sale.info; first auction typically mid-to-late August, foreclosed-parcel list posted around mid-July.
Sheriff's Office
Monroe County Sheriff's Office — 100 E. Second St, Monroe, MI 48161 — Law Enforcement (734) 240-7400, Civil Process (734) 240-7500 —
websiteSheriff Sale Day
Not confirmed from an official source. Third-party listings mention a possible shift to online sales via sriservices.com — call Civil Process at (734) 240-7500 to confirm before relying on this.
Legal Notice Publication
Likely The Monroe News, not independently confirmed. Monroe County also posts its own tax-foreclosure notices directly on co.monroe.mi.us.
Ottawa County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Ottawa County Treasurer, Delinquent/Foreclosed Property Tax Division — (616) 994-4501 (West Olive) / (616) 846-8357 (Grand Haven) —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU. Two named programs: Financial Hardship Exemption (1-year exemption plus payment plan) and the Tax Foreclosure Avoidance Payment Reduction Program (5-year plan, interest/penalty cancelled, for accounts 2+ years delinquent).
Tax Auction
Operated by Title Check, LLC. Typically a minimum-bid online auction in August, a re-offer in September, and a no-reserve auction in October. A separate annual tax resale happens the second Monday of June for 2-year-held liens.
Sheriff's Office
Ottawa County Sheriff's Office — 12220 Fillmore St, West Olive, MI 49460 — (616) 738-4000, in-county (888) 731-1001 —
websiteSheriff Sale Day
No fixed weekday confirmed. Sales occur at 10:00 a.m. on the scheduled date at the place of holding Circuit Court — call to confirm a specific date.
Legal Notice Publication
Not confirmed from an official source.
Kent County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Kent County Treasurer — 300 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 — (616) 632-7500 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU. Financial Hardship Deferral (one-time, must apply before March 1, requires a payment plan), a standard partial-payment option, and a Poverty Exemption via the Board of Review.
Financial Hardship pageTax Auction
Operated by Title Check, LLC / Tax-Sale.info. Foreclosed-parcel list typically available around July 1; state and local governments get first right of purchase before the public auction.
Auction pageSheriff's Office
Kent County Sheriff's Office — 701 Ball Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 — (616) 632-6100
Sheriff Sale Day
No fixed weekday found on an official page — call to confirm.
Legal Notice Publication
Grand Rapids Legal News (mortgage foreclosure); tax-foreclosure notices run as an insert in the Grand Rapids Press.
Allegan County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Allegan County Treasurer — 113 Chestnut St, Allegan, MI 49010 — (269) 673-0260 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU that administers tax reversion fully in-house (per the county's own site, to retain all revenue). Financial Hardship Deferment, annual application, based on HHS poverty guidelines.
Deferments pageTax Auction
Run via Title Check, LLC / Tax-Sale.info. At least two public sales between the third Tuesday in July and the first Tuesday in November.
Tax Foreclosure Sales pageSheriff's Office
Allegan County Sheriff's Office & Corrections Center — 640 River St, Allegan, MI 49010 — (269) 673-0500 —
websiteSheriff Sale Day
1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month, 9:00 a.m., Allegan County Courthouse, 113 Chestnut St. Adjournment notices due by noon the prior Wednesday.
Foreclosure Sales pageLegal Notice Publication
Allegan County News and Gazette — used for both tax-forfeiture notices and sheriff's mortgage-foreclosure postings.
Jackson County Tax FGU: County
County Treasurer
Jackson County Treasurer — 120 W. Michigan Ave, 1st Floor, Jackson, MI 49201 — (517) 788-4418 —
websiteTax Foreclosure Program
Self-designated FGU; runs its own auction. "Show Cause & Financial Hardship" program — owners may request an extension or deferral at the foreclosure show-cause hearing, based on state poverty guidelines.
Show Cause & Hardship pageTax Auction
County-run, typically early August, online-only (roughly 10am–7pm). Whether a third-party platform is used, or it's fully in-house, is not confirmed.
Sheriff's Office
Jackson County Sheriff's Office — 212 Wesley St, Jackson, MI 49201 — (517) 768-7900
Sheriff Sale Day
Not confirmed from an official Jackson County, MI source. Search results for this county are frequently contaminated by same-named sheriff's offices in Ohio and Oklahoma — call (517) 768-7900 or the 12th District Court Civil Division at (517) 788-4037 to confirm.
Legal Notice Publication
Not confirmed with certainty. Likely the Jackson Citizen Patriot / MLive or the Jackson County Pilot — not an official county statement.
Common Mistakes People Make With County-Specific Info
Assuming the redemption period or auction calendar is the same statewide — the law is statewide, but auction months and sheriff sale days are set locally and do change year to year. Calling the county treasurer when the issue is actually a mortgage foreclosure (that's the sheriff's office and the lender, not the treasurer) — or the reverse, calling the sheriff about delinquent property taxes. Relying on a sale day or newspaper name found on a third-party site instead of the county's own page, especially for counties that share a name with places in other states. Waiting until the week of an auction or sheriff's sale to call the office, when hardship and payment-plan applications generally need to be submitted well before the deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't the foreclosure timeline the same in every county? ⌄
The underlying law is the same everywhere in Michigan. What differs by county is which office handles your case, what day sheriff's sales happen, which auction platform is used, and whether a local hardship or payment-plan program exists.
My county isn't listed here — what should I do? ⌄
Start with your county treasurer's website for tax-foreclosure questions, or your county sheriff's civil division for a mortgage-foreclosure sheriff's sale. Most county websites have a "Treasurer" or "Delinquent Taxes" page with this same information.
Is my county the Foreclosing Governmental Unit, or is the State? ⌄
Most of Michigan's larger and mid-size counties, including all but one covered on this page, have self-designated as their own Foreclosing Governmental Unit (FGU) and run their own tax-foreclosure process. Smaller counties sometimes defer to the Michigan Department of Treasury instead — Livingston County is the example on this page.
Some fields say "not confirmed" — why include them at all? ⌄
Because knowing exactly what's uncertain is more useful than a guess presented as fact. Those items point you to the right office to call rather than giving you a specific day or name we couldn't verify from an official source.
Does a cash buyer need to wait for my sheriff's sale or tax auction date? ⌄
No. In most cases a sale can close before either date, which is often the point — it can resolve the foreclosure before the auction or sheriff's sale happens at all. Whether that's realistic depends on how much time is actually left.
Related Michigan Foreclosure Guides
Continue the series
Browse Helpful Resources
Dealing With Foreclosure in One of These Counties?
Dennis Buys Houses purchases Michigan properties in foreclosure as-is, before or during the redemption period. Tell us your county and situation and we'll walk you through what's actually possible on your timeline.
Takes 2 minutes · No cost, ever
