Before purchasing any certificate at the tax sale, it's a good idea to find out a little bit about the property. After all, there's a chance you could end up owning it.

The advertisement the Treasurer's Office runs for the three weeks prior to the sale lists the legal descriptions of all the property that could be offered at the tax sale (some property owners will pay there taxes during that 3 weeks, removing their property from the sale).

The County Assessor's Office has maps that are open to the public, where a person can take a legal description and look on the map to see what the parcel consists of and where it is located.

It's also a good idea to take the legal description to the County Clerk's Office and check to see if there are any outstanding liens against the property. Although Wyoming Statutes indicate that a purchaser would take a Tax Deed subject only to special assessment liens, knowing the status of the property could help avoid problems later.

When it comes to purchasing certificates on properties at the tax sale, it's definitely buyer beware.

How does the tax sale work?
When will the tax sale take place?
What is sold at a tax sale?
How do I find out what's for sale and where it is?
How much does it cost to purchase a certificate at the sale?
What rights to the property does the certificate holder have?
Once I receive a certificate of purchase, what do I have to do?
If the landowner pays the taxes, what do I get back?
How do tax deeds work?
How do I apply for a Tax Deed?