All Forum Posts by: Lorilyn B.

@Ryan Snelson 

A company called tax title services claims it has developed a process to obtain title insurance on tax deed properties without the need to file quiet title actions or to wait out statute of limitation periods. I checked into it for a piece of land I own and the service is about $1400, I was thinking of doing this when I have a buyer. Maybe they can look into a service like that.

Parker's is up here in Elgin, TX and I know they are happy to do a bid price on lumber and such if you're buying in a bit of quantity and they already have pretty good prices. I would think that Parker's in the Houston area would behave in a similar fashion. They are members of the Do it Best Corp. The company says it is a network of over 3,800 independently owned retailers.

Hi Jordan, I'm sorry for the late reply I only just saw this. I have not located a contractor in Bastrop. I did get in touch with a gentleman out of Austin and he looked at some properties with me, but I didn't make any purchases so that's as far as it went. I hope you found someone, they're hard to come by.

Regards,

Lyn

@Josh James @Roy Oliphant @Tom Yung 

Thank you all. I had gone through other tax deed threads and was left more confused than when I started. You have all helped out greatly.

@Josh James & @Roy Oliphant 

If one of you wouldn't mind answering, I just want to clarify my understanding. If I purchase a property that has a dwelling and it is unoccupied, that would not be considered homesteaded and would then have a 6 month redemption period? If I buy vacant land, that would also be 6 months? If I buy owner occupied, that would be homesteaded, whether they filed for it or not, and would have a 2 year redemption?

I do understand that, as part of due diligence, I would need to find out what liens are on the property and how many years of taxes are owed. What I'm not understanding is, if I buy a struck off property, does the same rule apply?

Also, does the redemption period on struck off property begin the day it was struck off or the day you purchase it? I believe I had read somewhere that it is the former.

@Ndy Onyido 

I live about 2 1/2 hrs from Houston, depending on what part I go to. I hear that The Woodlands is a hot market. If I remember correctly, it's on the outskirts of the greater Houston area, just north of Spring, but in Montgomery County. You may be interested in that as well.

On a side note, I would like to say how much I appreciate the BiggerPockets community. I recommend it every chance I get.

@Josh James 

Thank you, that clears it up a bit. Definitely something for me to check into. There seems to be so much involved, which is another reason why I've been taking my time before trying to buy.

@Ndy Onyido Thank you very much. I was nervous about whether or not I could ask, our local attorney office that does the tax deeds, general tax deed questions, so I just kept to the property I was interested in. I've been perusing the auctions listed at McCreary, Veselka, Bragg & Allen, P.C and Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins & Mott LLP. I really appreciate the resource you listed as well. We have a tax sale coming up this Tuesday and I will be going to observe. I'll follow your suggestion and see where it leads, it can't hurt to try.

Also, I wonder if using a title research company, such as AFX Research would accomplish the same feat as using someone like Tax Title Services? AFX will do a basic for about $116 and an expanded search for about $160. Or am I misunderstanding and the $2K-$3K cost and time frame was for the insurance?

(I hope I didn't break the posting rules)

Regards,

Lyn

@Matt M. Thank you for this great resource. I just downloaded it and it is fast and easy to use.

The link is coming up with an error message whenever I try it, would you please send me another link to the info, or post one? Thanks

I'm familiar with a few contractors in this area, that's why I'm asking for suggestions. I've used several over the years and have always ended up with a problem, e.g. 10 yards short on a foundation, bathroom remodel due to a water leak that I had to fix because it leaked again, closets rearranged and I had them put back but ended up with the light switches in place but no lights because they're covered over, etc. I'd really like to find one that isn't a drunk, that seems to be next to impossible as well. Thanks all!