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billydale522 · May 6, 2011, 05:10 AM

bought apeice of land 70x66 in back taxes for 800.00 after the sale the town police took my wife to the town attorny and they told her she owed for a demaltion of a building on the grounds.3000.00 this was not mention at the sale buy the sherriff.if I don't pay this what's the worse can happen.can they put a len on my house.or?? or can I give this land to some body and they file bankrupt on this land... or would this be INTRAPPMENT BY THE TOWN (LAWSUET MAYBE)

joypulv · May 6, 2011, 05:27 AM

Ouch. But not enough information about the demolition - when was it done, by whom, and why wasn't it disclosed at the tax sale by the town? Was it an auction, or did you go through a real estate broker?

You can't file bankruptcy on a piece of land, only on oneself, and entrapment isn't the right legal term for this. You may have signed something saying you had to do due diligence on other liens than the tax one, in which case you are plain out of luck. That could have been a simple matter of walking into town hall and asking for the record of liens, which ANY property owner should do. So do that now. If you want to consult a lawyer just to see if you even have a case, gather your information on paper before doing so.

joypulv · May 6, 2011, 05:31 AM

When I say 'do that now' I mean to see if you even have a case, because if the lien was recorded (and it probably was) you are out of luck. Is 3,800 a reasonable price for that lot? It would be in many areas. Try to sell if for 3,800 while you figure out how to come up with the 3,000.

AK lawyer · May 6, 2011, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by joypulv

... Try to sell if for 3,800 while you figure out how to come up with the 3,000.

Huh? Why would it happen to be worth exactly the amount claimed for the demolition plus the amount OP paid for it?

Billydale522 didn't say what state he/she is in, but normally the $3,000 the town claims for the demolition would not be a personal liability of the new owner. In other words, if the town indeed has a valid lien for the demolition, they could only enforce that lien against the land. They would sell the land and credit the proceeds against the demolition bill. Billydale522 would not be personally liable, and would not owe a deficiency.

joypulv · May 6, 2011, 09:34 AM

I didn't mean to suggest that the land is worth 3800, only that he should try to sell it and not take a loss.
And I assume that he doesn't want to lose both his 800 and the land.

AK lawyer · May 6, 2011, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by joypulv

I didn't mean to suggest that the land is worth 3800, only that he should try to sell it and not take a loss.
And I assume that he doesn't want to lose both his 800 and the land.

Unless it somehow became a personal liability, he could sell it for $800 (plus costs) without selling it at a loss.

But of course in that event the buyer should be informed of the lien, and would take it subject to the lien. Obviously, it doesn't make much sense to buy property worth $800 subject to such a lien. It would have to have an intrinsic value of at least $3,800 for such a deal to work.

Either that, or negotiate with the town, and whittle down the lien pay-off amount, so as to keep the property on the tax rolls.

billydale522 · May 6, 2011, 11:26 AM

The building was still on lot when she bought it for 800.00 after they told her that she owed another 3000.00 she told the attorny that she did not want the land and told the county sheriff she didn't want it cause of the 3000.00 demo.cause this was not brought up at the auction by the county sheriff that sold the ground.just after she bought it they broke the news.ohio is suppose to have a new law that they don't have to tell the buyers that something like this tell sold.so they new it but wouldn't tell it before auction.so in my eyes they suckerd her in to the debt of the town.for they wouldn't have to pay for it.we check at the court house to see what was old on taxes and was 1500.00 that was it nothing about a demo of 3000.00.so can I go back and sue the town for not desclosing thjis before the auction

AK lawyer · May 6, 2011, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by billydale522

The building was still on lot when she bought it for 800.00 after they told her that she owed another 3000.00 ...

They demolished the building after she bought it? Why? Had it been condemned as being unsafe or something? Did they give her notice of the impending demolition after she bought it and before they actually put the wrecking ball to it?

Originally Posted by billydale522

... so can i go back and sue the town for not desclosing thjis before the auction

I don't think so. If the town demolished it without notice to her, she might be able to sue the town for demolishing the building without her consent. Or to remove the cloud on title caused by their claim of lien. But you don't have standing to sue anyone, as far as I can see.