Minimum Bid, Earnest Money Deposit, Buyer's Premium and Bid Increments at Federal Auctions (2026)
Four money terms decide what a federal auction costs beyond the hammer. The minimum bid is the floor. The earnest money deposit is what you post to bid or to hold the win. The buyer's premium is a percentage added to the winning bid by some sellers and most marketplaces. Bid increments are the steps an online auction moves in. The wire shows the first; the notice shows the rest.
- Start bids on the wire's 142 federal AUCTION rows run from $20,000 to $200,000 as of October 20, 2026.
- 8 of those rows publish a figure.
| Date | Type | Source | Property (minimum bid) | ST | Price / bid | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-07 | AUCTION | IRS Real Property Auctions | 175 Brentwood Ln. Henderson, 27537 NC United States | — | 147,000.00 | verified |
| 2026-06-30 | AUCTION | IRS Real Property Auctions | Country Rd 23 Hartsel, 80449 CO United States | — | 20,032.00 | verified |
| 2026-06-24 | AUCTION | IRS Real Property Auctions | 4700 41st St 4700 1/2 41st St Sioux City, 51108 IA United States | — | 271,552.60 | verified |
| 2026-06-17 | AUCTION | IRS Real Property Auctions | 0 Sand Ridge Rd. Weston, 43569 OH United States | — | 57,840.00 | verified |
| 2026-06-17 | AUCTION | IRS Real Property Auctions | 0 Sand Ridge Rd. Weston, 43569 OH United States | — | 183,400.00 | verified |
| 2026-06-17 | AUCTION | IRS Real Property Auctions | 3380 Ramblewood Place, Unit 37-D-7 Sarasota, 34237 FL United States | — | 99,030.42 | verified |
minimum bid: 6 of 142 rows, October 20, 2026.
By seller
IRS: minimum bid, deposit of a stated percentage in certified funds, no premium. Treasury: opening bid, deposit to register, terms per sale. Marshals: broker listings at a price or online auctions with a reserve and increments. GSA: deposit to register, increments set per sale, sometimes a premium.
Marketplaces
Auction.com, Hubzu and Xome add a buyer's premium of several percent and may hold a reserve above the displayed bid. Government sellers publish their terms; the wire adds nothing.
Budgeting a bid
Start bid plus premium plus deposit timing plus surviving liens plus repairs equals the real number. The wire's START BID column is the first line of that sum.
More minimum bid rows seen on the wire
2026-06-16: IRS Real Property Auctions listed 12601 Hunters Ridge Dr Bonita Springs, 34135 FL United States. 2026-06-10: IRS Real Property Auctions listed 15 Cambridge DR Glenn Mills, 19342 PA United States. 2026-06-10: IRS Real Property Auctions listed 1164 Naamans Creek Road Marcus Hook, 19342 PA United States. 2026-06-02: IRS Real Property Auctions listed 6529 W Ridge Rd Pine, 85132 AZ United States. 2026-05-28: IRS Real Property Auctions listed 5406 232nd St SW Mountlake Terrace, 98043 WA United States. 2026-05-27: IRS Real Property Auctions listed 2711-B Pinedale Drive Greensboro, 27408 NC United States.
minimum bid: questions
Is the deposit refundable?
For losing bidders, yes. For a winner who fails to close, usually not.
Does DLRadar charge a premium?
No. DLRadar never takes bids; it sells the working file and plans.
What are the newest minimum bid rows on the wire?
2026-07-07: IRS Real Property Auctions listed 175 Brentwood Ln. Henderson, 27537 NC United States. 2026-06-30: IRS Real Property Auctions listed Country Rd 23 Hartsel, 80449 CO United States. 2026-06-24: IRS Real Property Auctions listed 4700 41st St 4700 1/2 41st St Sioux City, 51108 IA United States.
How many minimum bid rows carry a published figure?
For minimum bid, 8 of 142 rows show a figure, and 134 minimum bid rows show a dash.