When your property is sold at tax sale, you have one year and a day to redem (buy back) your property. During that redemption period, your redemption amount increases quarterly by 3% of the amount bid for the property. The redemption amount cannot exceed the tax sale bid. For example: If your delinquent tax due is $300 and the accepted tax sale bid is $5,000, for the first three months your redemption amount is 3% of $5,000 or $150 plus the original $300 tax for a total of $450. If the property is not redeemed during that first three month period, the redemption amount increases to 6% of $5,000 or $300 pluse the original $300 tax for a total of $600. In the third quarter the rate increases to 9% and the fourth quarter to 12%. If the quarterly percentage rate plus the original tax amount exceeds the accepted tax sale bid, the redemption amount will be the tax sale bid amount. So the most you will pay to redeem your property is the amount of that accepted tax sale bid.