Over 25 years of experience teaching students just like you.
What You Will Learn
Click the arrows to the right below and expand the content to see a detailed list of what you will learn.
Meet Your Instructor
NTLA Executive Director Brad Westover is a nationally-recognized speaker and expert on tax lien and tax deed investing. He began his successful career in tax sale investing in 1995 and has invested over $1.5 billion from 25 states.​
Brad is passionate about helping others develop their own successful tax sale investing strategy while avoiding common pitfalls. It is this passion that drove him to develop NTLA University and travel the country, delivering the two-day training program.Â
"Success begins with knowledge," says Brad. "And NTLA University offers the very best industry-specific, quality education that can help you get started on the right path to successful investing."
NTLA University is now 100% online and delivered on demand, making it more convenient and accessible to students.
"I want you to be successful. Proper education is the key to your success and is the best step forward to achieving your financial and professional goals," says Brad. "Successful tax sale investing generates the dollars our communities need to provide critical services such as schools, public safety and health care."
​In addition to NTLA University, Brad also developed the industry's only professional designation, Certified Tax Lien Professional (CTLP)®. To earn this designation, individuals must complete NTLA University and demonstrate three years of experience in the tax sale industry. Successful candidates must also demonstrate active participation and leadership as members of NTLA which includes adhering to the association’s Code of Ethics and Anti-Trust Compliance.
Course Overview
From a basic overview of the tax sale lifecycle to more complex topics like due diligence and ROI calculation, we cover every angle of tax lien and tax deed investing.
How Everyone Benefits from Tax Sales
In this module, you will learn:
- How the essential services we depend on every day are funded
- How property tax is calculated
- Understand the different parts of a typical property tax bill
- Understand the property tax calendar
- How delinquent property taxes impact a community
- How tax sales benefit local governments, delinquent taxpayers, investors, and our communities
Understanding Tax Sale Basics
In this module, you will learn:
- What happens when property taxes become delinquent
- Common tax sale instruments
- Tax sale lifecycle
- The mission of the NTLA Foundation
- States that participate in tax lien sales
Due Diligence - The Key to Avoiding Costly Mistakes
In this module, you will learn:
- How to perform accurate and thorough due diligence
- How to create a list of properties based on your investment strategy and budget
- Electronic due diligence vs. physical inspections or drive-bys
- Questions you must ask before investing one penny
- Watch a tax lien professional in action
- Tips to help small investors compete against large investors
How to Aquire a Tax Lien
In this module, you will learn:
- Methods used to sell tax liens
- Common auction formats
- Purchasing tax liens “over the counter”
- Online tax sale auction vendors
Tax Lien Servicing and Portfolio Management
In this module, you will learn:
- Tax lien servicing basics
- Onboarding your liens and reconciling your assets
- Managing your portfolio
- Producing accurate reports
- Professional tax lien serving during the redemption period
Workouts and REO Property Management
In this module, you will learn:
- How to develop an exit strategy
- Tax certificate workouts
- Judicial and administrative property tax foreclosure
- Real Estate Owned (REO) property management
- Professional tax lien servicing after the redemption period
Grow Your Business with Financing
In this module, you will learn:
- How sensible leverage can help grow your business
- What lenders are looking for
- Portfolio analysis
- Transactions structure basics
- Securitization and other considerations
Legal Considerations
In this module, you will learn:
- Bankruptcy:
- Types of Bankruptcy
- What You Must Know About Bankruptcy
- Tax foreclosure
- Post-Sale Compliance
- Federal Tax Lien
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Recovery of Legal Expenditures
Tax Sales and the Sherman Antitrust Act
In this module, you will learn:
- The origins of the Sherman Antitrust Act and how it applies to the tax sale industry
- How to avoid misconduct in relation to collusion, bid rigging, an auction formats
- General practices to keep yourself and your employees safe from an investigations
- What to do if you’re confronted with misconduct
Case Study: Three Sisters, Three Strategies
In this module, you will learn:
- The results of three different investment strategy approaches
- How to apply lien-to-value ratio in real-world scenarios
- The importance of due diligence and having an investment strategy
Your Future in the Tax Sale Industry
In this module, you will learn:
- How bad educators are doing a disservice to our industry
- How NTLA provides the high quality education you need to succeed in the tax sale industry
- How to identify–and avoid!–bad educators in the tax sale industry
- What to do if you believe you have been scammed by a bad educator
- How to continue on your path to success in the tax sale industry
Master Class Review and Final Exam
The final exam is a rigorous test of your knowledge, which is why we strongly recommend the following in the course:
- Download and print the Study Guide to help you self-assess your knowledge
- Take the time to take each learning assessment again.
- Note any questions you answered incorrectly.
- Download and print the Course Glossary.
You will have three opportunities to take the final exam to achieve a passing grade of 70% or greater.Â
Connect & Grow
Being a member of the National Tax Lien Association (NTLA) aligns you with a powerful network of seasoned tax lien and deed professionals and grow through trusted education.
What You Can Expext
100% on demand access.
8+ hours of quality education.
Immediate access to course materials.
Self-assessments to test your knowledge.
Receive a certificate of course completion when you complete all required modules and pass the final exam.
How to Get Started
NTLA University provides the solid foundation you need to build a successful tax lien and tax deed investing strategy.
There are two paths to success:
Path 1, Connect & Learn
- Become a member of the National Tax Lien Association (NTLA) and purchase the Master Tax Lien Investing & Servicing Class for just $500.
- Being a member of the National Tax Lien Association (NTLA) aligns you with a powerful network of seasoned tax lien and deed professionals and grow through trusted education.