01
California tax sale fundamentals
How a parcel ends up at auction, who gets paid first, and why the opening bid tells you almost nothing about value.
6 lessons30mBuilt
The certification program
Three courses, one certificate, and the parcel table for six months.
Everything a first-time buyer needs to read a California county list without guessing: how the sale works, the three checks that rule out most cheap parcels, and what to do on sale day and in the year after. Taught on real county documents, tested after every module.
Lesson one is open to everyone, no account needed.
Lessons273 courses · 8 modules
Running time2h 15mShort lessons, about five minutes each
Assessments9A quiz per module and a final assessment
Parcel table6 moIncluded, then $14/mo
Lesson one · open to everyone
Five years of default, one notice, one sale
5 minutes on the one fact that explains every county list: a tax sale is a collection action, not a real-estate listing.
Module 1 · How a parcel ends up at auction
Lesson one is open. It plays in the course player, which remembers where you are.Open lesson one
What you will learn
The three courses, lesson by lesson.
Each module ends with a short quiz. You pass the program by passing every quiz and the final assessment.
02
Fire history, zoning and the assessor roll
The three checks that rule out most cheap parcels, done by hand on a live county list, then with Trelys.
12 lessons1hBuilt
Module 1 · Fire history
Module 2 · Zoning
Module 3 · The assessor roll
03
Sale day, and the year after
Registering, deposits, bidding discipline, the deed, the redemption window and when a title company will finally talk to you.
9 lessons45mBuilt
Module 1 · Before the sale
Module 2 · After the hammer
Module 3 · The year after
The certificate
Proof that you know the sale.
A quiz after every module and a final assessment across all three courses. Pass them and you receive the Trelys certificate: your name, the program, the date, and a link anyone can open to verify it.
What the certificate is not
It is a Trelys certificate of completion. It is not a licence, continuing-education credit or an accreditation, and it is not a promise about any parcel. It says you learned the checks; the checks are still yours to run before you bid.
Enrollment
One price. Six months of the table included.
After month 6, membership is $14 a month if you want to keep the parcel table. The courses and your certificate are yours for good either way.
CertificationThe program
$69one time
For your first two or three sales.
- All 3 courses, 27 lessons, and the Trelys certificate
- Every parcel in every live county, checked, for 6 months
- Watch lists and sale-day reminders
- Fire Check, county pages and sale results, as always
- The table after month 6 ($14/mo)
Enroll in the programFull refund until you open a lesson
Course content disclaimer
The Trelys certification program and all course materials, including lessons, quizzes, walkthroughs, examples and the certificate of completion, are provided for general educational and informational purposes only. They describe how California tax-defaulted property sales have generally worked at the time the material was written, as understood by Trelys.
Nothing in the program is legal, tax, accounting, financial, investment or real-estate advice, and no attorney-client, fiduciary or advisory relationship is created by enrolling in or completing it. Trelys is not a law firm, broker, lender, title company or insurer.
Statutes, regulations, county ordinances, auction platform terms, fees, deadlines and procedures change, and counties interpret and apply them differently. Material that was accurate when written may be out of date or may not apply to a particular county, parcel or sale. It is your responsibility to verify every current law, rule, deadline, fee and procedure with the relevant county, the auction platform and a licensed professional before you register, bid, pay or take any other action.
Examples, figures, parcels and outcomes used in lessons are illustrations. They are not predictions, guarantees or representations about any parcel, sale or result, and past results do not indicate future ones. Tax-defaulted property carries substantial risk, including the total loss of money paid.
The certificate of completion records that you completed the program and passed its assessments. It is not a licence, credential, accreditation or continuing-education credit, and it does not qualify you to advise others.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Trelys disclaims all liability for any loss, damage, cost or claim arising from your use of or reliance on the course materials, including loss caused by information that has changed, that is incomplete, or that you or anyone else interpreted or applied incorrectly. Your use of the program is at your own risk, and your sole remedy for dissatisfaction with it is the refund described in the Terms.
Questions
What is in the program?
Three courses sold together: California tax sale fundamentals, the three checks (fire history, zoning and the assessor roll), and sale day and the year after. 27 lessons with the county's real documents on screen, a quiz after each module, a final assessment, and the Trelys certificate when you pass. The purchase also opens the parcel table, every parcel in every live county with its checks, for 6 months.
Can I buy one course on its own?
No. The three courses are one program and one certificate. The second and third courses assume the first.
What happens after the six months?
The courses and your certificate are yours for good. The parcel table closes unless you keep membership, which is $14 a month, month to month, cancelled from your account page. Fire Check, county pages and sale results stay free regardless.
Is there a free course or a free trial?
Lesson one is open to everyone as a preview of how the program teaches. There is no free course and no trial of the parcel table; the safety data that matters most, fire history, is free to anyone.
What does the certificate mean?
It is a Trelys certificate of completion: your name, the program, the date and a link that verifies it. It records that you passed every module quiz and the final assessment. It is not a licence, continuing-education credit or an accreditation.
Can I get a refund?
Up until you open a lesson, yes, in full. Once a lesson has been opened the purchase is final, because the material has been delivered.
I already subscribe to Trelys. What changes for me?
Your subscription drops to $14 a month at your next renewal. The program is a separate purchase at the same price everyone pays.
Where does the parcel data come from?
County assessor rolls and ArcGIS parcel layers, auction listings from county treasurer and tax collector sites, and wildfire perimeters from CAL FIRE. Every finding names its source so you can check it.
Is this legal or investment advice?
No. Trelys is an education and research service. Nothing here is a survey, title report, appraisal or insurance determination. Verify everything with the county, and talk to a licensed attorney before you buy.