Adjudicated Property

[Reginald Winn]

Does anyone have experience in buying property that has been adjudicated to the city for unpaid taxes. Once you obtain a tax title to thei property by paying the taxes, how long do you have to wait before you can file for a deed in your name for the property? I'm hearing you have to notify the previous owner first and they have up to 2 years to redeem the property back from you. Is that always the case? I'm having a hard time getting clear answers from the city tax office on this. Some of these properties have clearly been abandoned and the taxes have not been paid for many years. 

If the taxes have not been paid for many years, can you pay the taxes and immediately file for a deed on the property if it has clearly been abandoned? 

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Reggie

[Robert Leonard]

Great question @Reginald Winn!

This adjudicated property problem is a problem in a lot of places.  There's a company that started in New Orleans called Civic Source.  Google them. They came up with a private solution that satisfies the monumental task of adequately providing notice to anyone with an ownership interest in the property, to allow you to buy with title insurance.  That's only in the municipalities and parishes that are signed on with using Civic Source for the disposition of those properties.  They have a very informative website that has tutorials of the basics of how it all works.  You can also see the list of where they operate and information on properties that get auctioned off every month!

Moderator's Note: I do not work for them or have any affiliate relationship with Civic Source. :-)