Empty Lot / Deed Fraud / Any Repercussions

[Marc Possoff]

Hi my cousin was getting calls from investors wanted to buy a vacant lot and the investors said it’s going to sheriff sale. My cousin thought he was being scammed because he said to these investors that his mom didn’t own a lot. Anyway after many calls he decided to investigate it. There was someone else name on the deed according to records which the person was trying to claim but after getting a lawyer the lot was actually his moms in 1961 from her first marriage. It turns out that the person on the deed was committing deed fraud. Lawyer got the original deed and his moms first marriage name is on it with no other name after. Lawyer said deed fraud is common. Anyway there’s back taxes to be paid for 10 years and some other stuff but the lawyer said this will be easy to make a deal with the panel. The lawyer checked if there is anything else owned in the lot but there’s nothing. There’s a tentative agreement of $7k back taxes for 10 years and $6k for the lawyer representing the city and a transfer tax. So it looks like $15k net the lawyer said.

I had my cousin ask the lawyer if there are any demolition costs involved because there was a house there at one time. Lawyer said no demolition costs.

He would like to develop on this lot. I’m wondering why there isn’t any house there. But like I said as far as the city knows it’s an empty lot and it’s my cousins from an ‘inheritance’.

I’m playing devils advocate. When he starts to develop the lot what things can pop up since there was once a house there? Or shouldn’t worry about it?

Thanks!