Boarded Up Properties/Owners Deceased

Foreclosures, Short Sales, Tax Foreclosures
1

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience with properties that belong to some deceased? I found two properties in a very nice neighborhood, each one is boarded up. I sent letters to the addresses of the boarded up properties hoping it would forward to current owners. However the letters came back. I looked up the owners and I think they are deceased, they were born in the early 1900’s.

What is my next step in trying to secure the properties?

2

Try to find out the staus of the estate…may be tough but somebody knows!

Try to find the obituary…it should list some/most of the living relatives.

Keith

3

Find out who is paying the taxes and work outward from there.

good luck,
Tony

4

Agreed…someone’s paying the taxes…thats the way to go…i can usually get that info with a phone call g/l

5

Who should I call to find out who is paying the taxes, the city?

Thanks

6

yep…they usually give that info right over the phone…if you have to go down…don’t forget to ask where the tax bill get sent…that’ll give you an address…and if they are in " arrears " …

g/l

7

Go to the county Treasurers office.

It might be on line?
Call and ask. If you are nice , you might get the info over the phone.

8

Down here (Louisiana is apparently on this whole other planet…), we get a tax bill from the city and another from the parish (it’s like a county only it’s Louisiana and the word “county” was already taken). You can go to the city tax office or the parish tax office and get this information…however, not all properties are within city limits, so it is easier just to go to the parish…

Keith

9

Okay, I called the county, and they have sent the bill to the same addresses as the boarded up properties. I asked what happens when the bill is returned to sender and goes unpaid. They give the owners up to five years delinquency until they auction the property off!

I asked what happens if the owners die, and the property taxes are not paid. She said that then the property goes to probate if there is not a trust, and that I would need to call the county court to inquire if these properties are in probate.

Anyone have any experience here, or suggestions on next steps?

Thanks!!

10

OOPS !!!

I forgot to say that the first thing to do is go talk to the neighbors. It could save you a lot of time. :o

Bruce