EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated with developments as of Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. Bidding has been suspended on one of the three properties originally scheduled for tax sale.
Bidding was suspended Friday on one of three Alexandria properties scheduled for tax sale next week, while the other two properties continued to attract bids ahead of Wednesday’s auction deadline.
The online auction website now shows “Bidding is not allowed on this lot at the moment” for the 718 Parkway Terrace home owned by Donald and Virginia Layman, a notable change from the active bidding that had continued through Thursday evening. The property had attracted 36 bids reaching $285,000, but the minimum bid was raised to $287,500.
The city’s Revenue Division could not immediately be reached for comment about the bidding suspension or whether Wednesday’s auction will proceed as scheduled.
Meanwhile, bidding continued Friday on the two other properties heading to auction. Miriam T. Sesman’s 711-square-foot condo at 2980 South Columbus Street, #C2, in Fairlington Villages reached $95,000 with 47 bids, while a 535-square-foot unit at 5340 Holmes Run Parkway, Unit 212, owned by Guishard Acquisition Trust LLC attracted 47 bids totaling $23,000, with the most recent bid placed at 11:40 a.m. Friday.
Years of Unpaid Taxes
Three Alexandria property owners faced losing their properties after years of unpaid real estate taxes, as the city’s collection process brought their properties to public auction following extended periods of delinquency. However, bidding was suspended Friday on one of the properties.
Despite Alexandria’s assistance programs and a legal process that provides multiple opportunities for resolution, two properties reached the stage where the city seeks to recover unpaid taxes through sale, while bidding was suspended on the third.
Donald and Virginia Layman have owned their home at 718 Parkway Terrace since 1974, when they bought it for $55,000, according to public sales records. According to city tax records, they paid their property taxes regularly until the first half of 2019, after which payments stopped.
Over that time, as the assessed value of their 1951-built brick ranch home climbed from $750,767 to $968,583, according to city assessment records, unpaid taxes accumulated to approximately $65,000, including penalties, interest and collection fees. Their home sits on an 11,132-square-foot lot. The property had attracted 36 bids reaching $285,000 before bidding was suspended Friday.
An even longer period of unpaid taxes affects Sesman’s condo at 2980 South Columbus Street, #C2. City records indicate her last payment was made in 2017 — eight years ago. Her mailing address is listed as San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to city records. Approximately $30,000 in taxes, penalties and fees have accumulated since 2018.
The longest period without payment involves Guishard Acquisition Trust LLC, which owns a 535-square-foot unit at Pavilion on the Park, 5340 Holmes Run Parkway, Unit 212. City assessment records show the trust’s last full payment was in 2016 — nine years ago — though it paid the first half of 2017 taxes before payments stopped entirely. About $5,000 in debt has accumulated, while the unit’s assessed value has dropped from $127,886 in 2015-2016 to $59,473 in 2025.
The Laymans and Sesman could not be reached for comment. Representatives of Guishard Acquisition Trust could not be identified.
Legal Process Provides Multiple Opportunities
Alexandria’s tax collection process provides property owners multiple opportunities to resolve delinquencies before reaching public sale. The City of Alexandria conducts tax sales for real property with delinquent taxes, primarily based on Virginia Code Section 58.1-3965, which allows tax sales when taxes remain unpaid as of Dec. 31 following the second anniversary of the original due date.
The tax sale process generally takes approximately one year from account referral to court docket removal, with litigation typically lasting six to nine months, according to TACS, the firm handling the sales for Alexandria.
This means each property owner received multiple notices, legal filings and opportunities to arrange payment plans or seek assistance over an extended period. According to TACS, property owners can still redeem their properties at any time before the auction by paying all accumulated taxes, penalties, interest, fees and costs in full.
Alexandria offers payment plans that spread tax liability over three, six or nine months, and provides extensive tax relief programs for elderly, disabled and financially distressed residents. The city provides real estate tax relief for residents 65 and older or permanently disabled, with income-based qualifications.
Assistance Programs Available
Alexandria provides comprehensive assistance including free tax preparation services, utility assistance and emergency financial aid. The city’s Revenue Division encourages residents to contact them at (703) 746-4800 or [email protected] before falling behind on payments.
The different ownership types among the properties — individual homeowners, out-of-state owners and corporate entities — may face different challenges in accessing or utilizing available assistance programs, though the specific circumstances that led to each delinquency are not detailed in public records.
Financial Impact
While the sales represent losses for the original owners, Virginia law provides financial protection. Former property owners can claim surplus funds if properties sell for more than the accumulated tax debt.
If the remaining two properties sell at current bid levels, Sesman could recover approximately $65,000 and the trust roughly $18,000 after taxes and fees are satisfied, assuming the sales proceed. The suspended bidding on the Layman property makes calculating potential surplus uncertain.
Virginia law requires the city to hold surplus funds in an interest-bearing escrow account for two years, giving former owners time to claim them by petitioning the circuit court.
However, the impact of losing long-held properties can extend beyond finances. Tax sales transfer property ownership but don’t automatically remove residents or belongings. According to TACS documentation, new owners are responsible for evicting occupants and removing possessions once the deed has been recorded.
Market Response
The bidding on the two active properties — with current bids totaling $118,000 — shows continued activity in Alexandria real estate, where the median home price has reached $672,619, according to recent market data from Zillow. Properties selling at discounts to assessed values attract bidders in Alexandria’s housing market.
Unlike some localities that conduct large annual tax sales, Alexandria processes properties case-by-case as they reach sufficient delinquency levels, resulting in smaller, focused auctions that reflect the city’s generally strong property tax collection rates.
The current sales involve properties with years of unpaid taxes rather than recent market pressures, though they occur amid rising property values in the region where average home prices have reached $857,502 — up 10.5% from April 2024, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors.
Looking Forward
For other Alexandria residents with property tax concerns, the city’s assistance programs remain available and early contact is encouraged. The city’s extensive assistance programs remain underutilized, and early intervention can prevent small problems from becoming insurmountable debt.
The two properties heading to potential auction each involve years of unpaid taxes and represent the legal process by which the city collects revenue for essential services while providing protections for surplus funds.
The online-only auction for the remaining active lots begins closing at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20. Interested bidders must register in advance at www.tacssale.com and complete identity verification. For tax assistance, contact Alexandria’s Revenue Division at (703) 746-4800 or [email protected].
