I have a land contract for a mobile home in Kentucky since 1996. Since then I have made all the payments, kept up maintaince, paid all the taxes, and kept insurance up to date. I have had a few oppurtunities to purchase over the years but cannot find the owner. The loan company also has no idea of his whereabouts and refuses to discuss anything concerning the loan with me since my name is not on the loan. I need to move into a bigger place now and still cannot find the owner. I do not have the money for extensive searches using an investigator and do not fel it is my job. The owner has not contacted me in over twenty years. My copy of the land contract is not notarized and I cannot remember if there is another copy that is? Can I just walk away from due to abandament from seller. My hands are tied to do anything with the property.

Some more details are needed here. A land contract, indicates a contract for sale. This is where you agree to purchase the property under terms of a contract.

But your description does not indicate that's what you have. If you did, then the terms of this contract would dictate when you own the property. Also, is the contract for the land or the mobile home or both? You also refer to a loan company. Have you been simply making the payments on the owner's loan? If not, who have you been making payments to?

You may be able to just walk away, but you need to tread the contract you signed. There may be penalties for doing so. At the very least, you will lose any equity you might have built up in the property through maintenance etc.

So you need to read the contract and understand its terms. Let us know what it says and we can advise further.

Yes, a land contract is for "land" so is this for land with a trailer on it, or just a trailer, if just a trailer it is not a land contract.

Next if it is land, and you have a valid contract, after you have made the last payment, you sue in court for title, and could force ownership though court.

Where were you sending the payments ?