Possible deal?

[Ezra Tingler]

Hello all,

I have a question that perhaps you guys may have some insight into.  I have been driving past this one property almost everyday for over a year on my way to work and it looks bad.  But I see huge potential.  Its a great location and with a little TLC could be awesome.  It appears to be totally abandoned, and has an old shed in back that looks to have been broken into.  How do I go about determining the owner and convincing them to sell it to me.  I have checked my local tax website and can't seem to locate the owner there.  Should my next move be to call the tax accessors office?

Thanks,

Ezra Tingler

[Ibrahim Hughes]

I think your next move is to research for a possible reason as to why the house is vacant.  I wouldn't necessarily use the term "abandoned" with the property owner. They sometimes take offense to that term when they still care about the house, are in fact still paying taxes (you don't yet know if they are or aren't) and checking on the property from time to time.

Check with your local county recorder and see if the house is in foreclosure. Check with the tax collector to see if the house is behind on taxes.  Or maybe the owner is deceased (and therefore there may be a probate file opened for the owner's estate).  Or BOTH.  

I like to get all of the info I can on a property before approaching the owner.  It gives me a good idea as to what the owner's objections to selling or even speaking to me might be.  Hence It gives me an opportunity to formulate a plan of action in my approach.