Last Updated on September 9, 2025
Table of contents
- Tax Lien & Deed Investing: How Outsourcing Can Free Up Your Time
- What is outsourcing in tax lien investing?
- How does the 80/20 rule apply to tax lien investing?
- Why build a remote team?
- How to start outsourcing for tax sale research?
- When should you form ground teams?
- How can outsourcing scale your tax lien business?
- FAQs
- Conclusion & Next Steps
Tax Lien & Deed Investing: How Outsourcing Can Free Up Your Time
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the paperwork required to buy tax lien or deed properties, you’re not alone. Counties publish lists of delinquent properties, schedule auctions and set interest rates, but it’s still up to you to gather the information, review each parcel and show up to bid. This article explains how we use outsourcing to streamline the process and how you can build a team that supports your tax lien and deed investing goals.
What is outsourcing in tax lien investing?
Outsourcing means hiring a remote assistant or team to perform tasks that don’t require your direct involvement. In tax lien investing, that includes:
- Collecting county auction calendars and property lists.
- Entering parcel data into spreadsheets and sorting by price, land use or redemption period.
- Conducting preliminary due‑diligence online (checking assessed value, GPS location and other public data).
- Even bidding on your behalf if you can’t attend the auction in person.
The idea is to delegate routine tasks so you can focus on high‑value decisions such as choosing which auctions to attend or how much to bid.
How does the 80/20 rule apply to tax lien investing?
The Pareto principle states that 80 % of outcomes come from 20 % of inputs. In our experience, the same is true in tax lien investing: a small number of counties and well‑researched properties produce most of our profits. By focusing on those “vital few” tasks, you save time and reduce stress. Outsourcing helps you concentrate on reviewing the top 20 % of deals while a virtual assistant handles the remaining 80 % of grunt work.
Why build a remote team?
Outsourcing isn’t just about convenience; it’s also financially prudent. Companies that outsource work to the Philippines can reduce labor costs by 70 % to 90 % because the cost of living and wages there are much lower than in North America. A Filipino software developer, for example, earns about USD 7,174 per year, whereas the same role in the United States might cost USD 69,589. English is widely spoken in the Philippines, and the workforce is known for being loyal and willing to work flexible hours. Hiring a virtual assistant through a reputable business process outsourcing (BPO) company gives you:
- Significant cost savings – you can reinvest money saved on wages into more tax lien certificates or deeds.
- Access to skilled talent – many Filipinos hold business or accounting degrees, and BPO firms handle HR, payroll and compliance for you.
- 24/7 availability – remote workers can accommodate your time zone, answer calls and monitor online auctions around the clock.
By building a remote team, you gain leverage without taking on the administrative burden of a traditional employer.
How to start outsourcing for tax sale research?
Begin small. Hire one assistant for a few hours each week and provide clear instructions. Key tasks to delegate include:
- Gather auction dates and lists
your assistant should download tax sale calendars and property lists from county websites and compile them into spreadsheets.
- Sort properties
have them filter properties by minimum bid, land type and redemption period using your criteria.
- Preliminary research
ask them to check Google Maps for access, search public records for other liens, and flag any red flags.
- Schedule inspections
if you can’t travel, your assistant can coordinate with someone local to photograph properties or verify boundary lines.
- Prepare bid sheets
instruct them to prepare a list of target properties with maximum bid amounts, so you’re organized on auction day.
As you build trust, you can increase the assistant’s hours and gradually hand off more tasks.
When should you form ground teams?
Once you’re bidding regularly and have several certificates or deeds, consider forming a ground team in your target counties. A ground team is a local contact who can:
- Visit properties to take photographs and verify they exist.
- Check boundary lines and neighboring conditions.
- Confirm whether the property is occupied, vacant or boarded up.
- Research additional liens or code violations at the county office.
Start with one or two part‑time contractors. Later you may add carpenters, roofers and rehab specialists to inspect and repair properties you acquire. This turns your outsourced data operation into a full real‑estate business and opens additional revenue streams.
How can outsourcing scale your tax lien business?
Our journey began with one virtual assistant doing data entry and quickly expanded to a network of researchers, bidders and contractors. With a reliable system in place, you can focus on tasks that generate the most return, such as selecting the right county or negotiating with buyers. Over time you might:
- Expand into new states: Use our articles on South Carolina Tax Liens and Pennsylvania Tax Deeds to understand different rules; interest rates in South Carolina range from 8 % to 12 % and Pennsylvania has no redemption period except in Philadelphia. This knowledge helps you decide where to invest.
- Leverage high‑return states: Many states offer returns ranging from 8 % to 36 %propertyonion.com on tax lien certificates. Focus your research on states with higher maximum rates and shorter redemption periods.
- Add rehab teams: When you start acquiring deed properties, a trusted network of carpenters and contractors lets you renovate and resell quickly.
It may feel intimidating at first, but each additional hire frees more of your time to focus on strategy and family. We started with one assistant and now manage teams of remote researchers and local contractors, all while working from home.
FAQs
High‑level decisions—such as which counties to target or how much to bid—require your judgment. Use outsourcing for data collection, scheduling and administrative work, but keep final investment decisions on your own desk.
No. You can hire a part‑time virtual assistant for just a few hours per week. As you close more deals, reinvest part of the profits into additional support.
Document your process. Record a screen share of how you download county lists and sort them. Provide written checklists. Hold brief weekly meetings to answer questions and refine the workflow. Gradual, hands‑on training leads to better results.
Your assistant should check the county’s lien registry and flag parcels with mortgages or code violations. Remember that interest rates and redemption rules vary by state. Always verify secondary liens before bidding.
.
Conclusion & Next Steps
Outsourcing is a powerful way to free up time, reduce costs and scale your tax lien and deed business. By applying the 80/20 principle—focusing on the activities that generate most of your returns—and leveraging affordable remote talent, you can create a streamlined, automated workflow. Once the process is in place, expand into new states and build ground teams to handle field work. Ready to take the next step? Explore our free mini‑course or book a free call with our team to get personalized guidance. We also recommend reading our guides on South Carolina and Pennsylvania tax sales for state‑specific tips. Your first tax lien or deed deal might be closer than you think.
