Overcoming Auction Nerves: A Beginner’s Guide to Tax Liens and Tax Deeds

12/18/2025 12:00:00 AM

Your first auction feels like standing at the edge of a pool—heart racing, palms sweaty, wondering if you’ll sink or swim. Let’s walk through this together, step by step, so those nerves become your secret weapon.

Step 1: Treat the First Auction Like a Dress Rehearsal
Pick a small online county sale with 20–30 items. Set a $500 budget cap. Your goal isn’t to win—it’s to feel the rhythm: how bids climb, when the room quiets, how fast the clock ticks. Losing a lien by $12 is the best education you can buy.

Step 2: Build Your “No-Surprise” Checklist (Print It, Keep it nearby)

• Max bid written in red marker

• Property photos + 3 comps open in tabs

• Redemption period & interest rate confirmed

• Cashier’s check amount ready

Check, breathe, bid. No checklist = no bid.

Step 3: The 3-Breath Reset
When the price hits 80 % of your max, pause. If safe for you, inhale for 4 secs, hold for 4 secs, exhale for 4secs. Repeat if needed. It can drop your heart rate to keep emotion from stealing your margin.

Step 4: Reframe the Stakes
You’re not gambling, you’re buying a certificate with a guaranteed interest rate or a discounted deed. The county already did the hard part (finding delinquent owners). You’re just choosing the certificate you like best.

Step 5: Celebrate the Process, Not the Win
Win or lose, high-five yourself for showing up. Write down one thing you learned. That note becomes your edge next month.

Nerves are normal. Preparation turns them into power.