Should I buy land at a tax deed sale or tax lien auction?

These are two different mechanisms, and mixing them up leads to real confusion.

A tax deed sale transfers the property itself to the winning bidder as a result of unpaid property taxes. A tax lien sale, on the other hand, gives the buyer a lien against the property with an interest rate, not the land itself, unless the original owner fails to repay it within a redemption period, at which point the lien holder may be able to pursue the property.

Both carry real risk that goes beyond the surface-level appeal of a cheap purchase price:

• Redemption periods: the original owner may have a legal window to reclaim the property or pay off the lien, which can leave a buyer waiting or losing the investment entirely
• Existing liens: some liens or claims against the property can survive a tax sale rather than being wiped out
• Title difficulty: title acquired through a tax sale is often harder to insure than title from a standard purchase, which can complicate a future resale

Given the complexity and the county-specific rules involved, this is not a place to rely on general information from a forum. Research the specific county's process in detail and talk to a real estate attorney familiar with tax sales before bidding on anything.