Most houses that are auctioned at a delinquent tax sale will likely require some major repairs before they can be sold on the market. You can certainly get some nice finds, but most of the houses that people bid on will have a few problems. You can try to learn about the history of the house by asking the neighbors. There's always a chance they know the previous owner, and they might have even been inside the prospective house in the past. As a result, they might be able to give you a clue of what is currently wrong with the house. Reducing the amount of surprises is important, and often other people can clue you into issues with the house and you wouldn't have been able to do yourself.

Some auctions will give you the chance to personally inspect the property before bidding. If you can go inside, look for any major red flags that will turn you off from bidding. Are there signs of a previous fire or flooding? What is the condition of the ceiling or the roof? If you can see some basic previous from a visual inspection, the amount of potential money you put into repairs may make the delinquent tax sale not worth your time. You can also hire a professional inspector if you still feel like you're a novice at real estate. Hiring outside help may cost a little more money up front, but if you end up flipping a home for a good price, the investment will pay for itself.