Getting Leins Off Property

[JKlowski]

I'll try to keep this short. Many years ago my father co-signed on a house and 5 acres of property for a "friend". A few years ago the house burned down, the "friend" collected the insurance money, paid off the mortgage and skipped town. The fire was later ruled and arson and the insurance company put a lien on the property. The friend of the court also put a lien on the property for back child support against this person. Meanwhile my father had the property quit claim deeded into his name.

A few years ago my father passed away and I (not knowing the story I just told you) went through probate to get the property in my name hoping to make some money on it. The lawyer who did the probate supposedly checked and said there were no liens on the property and that everything was fine.

I got the property in my name, found a buyer and signed a purchase agreement. The title company did a title search and guess what?

The insurance company's lein is for $30,000, the friend of the court's lein is for $5,000 and there are $1,700 in back taxes due. The selling price of the property is $30,000. I am upside down in this thing. I know that the liens go with the property but is there such a thing has having the liens removed or reduced since the debt was not mine to begin with. At this point I don't even care if I make a dime on this property I just want to make the property marketable and get it out of my hair. According to the purchase agreement I have 20 days to clear this up one way or another. By the way this is in Michigan in Arenac county What can I do? What would you do?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[nextwife]

Contact the creditors and see what you can work out with them. Get any agreement in writing along with a payoff letter in the agreed amount to provide to the title company/closing attorney.

[tranquility]

Talk to the lienholders. They might take the deal.