Tax sale purchase clear of title defects?

[Skip Rivera]

I'm looking at a property in Riverside county CALIFORNIA that is coming up for tax sale. The county guarantees that the successful bidder will get the property free of all encumbrances. My problem is that I know a former would-be purchser who got a preliminary title report from Chicago Title that read the owner--and three prior title holders--never had any legal interest in the property. His deal fell out of escrow I Dr the issue. So do tax sale purchases clear all clouds from title, making them marketable? I hope someone will give their views on this.

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