IE 11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

South Carolina County Goes Transparent with Property Tax Map

Since 2015, Beaufort County has been using a searchable map to find out the detailed information on who owes any back property taxes in the county.

(TNS) -- Whether you’re a Beaufort County property owner who owes back taxes or someone looking to purchase a property at the annual delinquent tax auction, the county treasurer’s office has an interactive online map to help you locate and research these properties.

Launched in 2015, the map is searchable and includes details about the amount of taxes due, the owner name, acreage, property value and the subdivision in which the property is located.

“The main reason that we did this initially is because a lot of people are visual learners, not necessarily data people,” Beaufort County Treasurer Maria Walls said Tuesday. For some, a map may be more useful than a spreadsheet or simply a list of delinquent properties.

“Its very important to me that we communicate to people in as many ways as possible,” she said.

The map may prove particularly helpful for delinquent property owners who might not realize they owe taxes because they have changed their mailing address without informing the treasurer’s office, Walls said.

It could also be used to “engage and educate bidders” who might be interested in purchasing property at auction, she said.

“Its always better to make a decision from a position of knowledge,” Walls said. “ ... “This shouldn’t be a mysterious or shadowy process.”

The annual delinquent property tax auction is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 2 at the Charles Lind Brown Center, 1001 Hamar Street, Beaufort.

Delinquent taxes must be paid before 5 p.m. on Sept. 29 to avoid going to auction.

For more information and to access the map, visit www.beaufortcountytreasurer.com.

©2017 The Island Packet (Hilton Head, S.C.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.