Deceased owner/no will/family refuse to inherit/how to obtain

[Chavis Atkins]

Hi BP,

I have a situation that I want to obtain a property that is in really bad condition but will make a great profit after rehabbing it. The owner of the home died just this February 2015 and he was dealing with cancer so he wasn't able to do anything to maintain the home; reason for its condition. Anyway, I was able to find out that the owner had no will and he had no wife or children. The parents of his are still alive and he has 3 siblings still alive.

Problem is that the family don't want anything to do with the home. They refuse to do probate or open estate. So story goes, I get in contact with the father of the deceased. I find out that the parents sold the home to their son back in 2009. They outright tell me they want nothing to do with the home. They tell me they have a son that lives in Indiana where the property is located in Hebron, IN; the home is in Merrillville, IN. I get in contact with the wife of the son and for 2 months I'm sending messages through the wife to the husband (brother to deceased) of how we can go about them getting to sell the home to me. Meanwhile, I'm getting from the wife that the brother is weary of wanting doing anything because he don't want to have any liability and everyone else in the family believes it is worth it to just let the home go to tax sale. Thing is the home is only behind one installment for the spring.

I outlined to them that they can do a survivorship affidavit that will give the parents ownership without going through probate in order for them to sell the home to me and all the brother says is they will consider it. Another month goes by and we are where we at now. I have given to the family every bit of information they need so they can work with me so I can obtain the home. In the end, they come up with the decision that simply they don't want anything to do with the home, money is not a issue and they will let the home sit there as a potential hazard to the neighborhood and community. No matter what I tried to do, they will not do anything to help me. Not even will they just quitclaim their interest to me so that I can handle the affairs of the home. I never seen anything like this before. I'm asking the BP community to help me with a way I can obtain this home here in the state of Indiana. What can I do to obtain the home fast without letting the home sit there and rack up taxes before the county will finally put it up for tax sale. The family will not help at all no matter what I ask of them. What can I do?