Tax lien - can I buy from current holder and then request a tax deed

[James Dunn]

I was approached by a seller who has a property he's looking to sell. It's a rental and he's pretty much washed his hands of it from what the renters tell me. He hasn't paid 2009, 2010, or the 2011 taxes and they've been sold off. The seller didn't accept what I considered a fair offer given the back taxes and repair work that will need to go into the home, so I'm wondering if it's possible to contact the current tax lien holder and see if I can buy it from them and then foreclose on the property myself. Given that we're coming up on 4 years delinquent on the taxes, I'm getting the feeling that the current lien holder has no interest in foreclosing or would have done so already. I'm a newbie to tax liens, so I'm wondering if this is even possible for me to do, and if so, what concerns should I have going into it?