So An owner with $100k house who owe $80k on the first and $40k on the second is upside down until the HOA sale happens and that buyer finds himself with an $80K debt on a $100K property.Anyway get a signed notarized permission letter signed authorizing you to speak about the loan and explain that IF you decide to make the payments you will need them to do the agreeing and you will do the paying.The other way is just to make the payments & bring the account current or keep it current (many times HOA properties are current).If its a small servicer or a credit Union then plain english will suffice in many cases and explaining what happened and how you became the owner will get you some unofficial co operation that results in an unofficial payment plan and the ability to service the debt through the life of the loan.

A deed can be valid (properly executed and notarized etc. according to local law) without being recorded.