I found a property with HOA lien on. It is only HOA 20k. This is not bank foreclosure. Can a tenant (not the owner) drop 20k before the auction and bail the apartment out? Does it have to be an owner?

Why would you do it before the auction? That is a gift to the current owner and give you no ownership right.

If you want to give away money, I have taxes due on two or three of my properties ?

So what do you except to do or get by paying the lien for someone else.

Just paying the back taxes is meaningless. You have to go through the tax auction to buy the property legally.

Before WHAT auction? Your post leaves a lot unexplained. But no, just paying the lien doesn't secure ownership of the property.

Hi Everyone. Yeah you guys are right. It does make sense I didn't think of it.

The reason why I was asking because I know the owner of that property has vanished and bank lost paperwork on this property. So I was thinking buying out the lien and turn around and put a lien on the owner then sell the place. I know the tenants as well.

Hmm interesting idea, but I don't think it will fly. Not sure if you can pay the lien then transfer it to yourself. You definitely couldn't force a sale.

Putting a lien on a property after 2-3 months and do force sale?

You can't force the sale.

No, you can only wait till the first lien holder either foreclose and hope it sells for more than their loan. In most cases you would just lose your money.

If you could buy the first home loan, that is a different issue