Adverse Possession/NJ

[Tunnels]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
New Jersey

There's an abandoned commercial warehouse a few blocks away from me and it's been abandoned for years. I contacted my local tax assessor and he gave me the owner's business address. The business is closed and the owners are no where to be found, taxes are also due on the property. Since the property is legally, now, abandoned, could I file for the title of that building? If not, what would need to be done to be able to file for the property?

The building is NOT foreclosed.

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
New Jersey

There's an abandoned commercial warehouse a few blocks away from me and it's been abandoned for years. I contacted my local tax assessor and he gave me the owner's business address. The business is closed and the owners are no where to be found, taxes are also due on the property. Since the property is legally, now, abandoned, could I file for the title of that building? If not, what would need to be done to be able to file for the property?

The building is NOT foreclosed.

Please check the following link - it has a ton of information on New Jersey adverse possession laws.

http://bit.ly/XkM2oC

 

[HomeGuru]

OP, you are way far off and not even close to making an AP claim. If there is a mortgage on the property, you can contact the lender and perhaps make an offer to buy the property.

 

[latigo]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
New Jersey

There's an abandoned commercial warehouse a few blocks away from me and it's been abandoned for years. I contacted my local tax assessor and he gave me the owner's business address. The business is closed and the owners are no where to be found, taxes are also due on the property. Since the property is legally, now, abandoned, could I file for the title of that building? If not, what would need to be done to be able to file for the property?

The building is NOT foreclosed.

You have a strange notion about real property being “legally abandoned”.

But, yes. I think that is an excellent idea. However, you are a bit short of qualifying and three decades premature. Because you would first need to uninterruptedly occupy and possess the property openly, notoriously and adverse and hostile to all claimants and under claim of title, for a PERIOD OF THIRTY (30) YEARS! And pay all taxes levied and assessed upon the property.

AND hope that within that 30 year span the record owner doesn’t bring an action to recover possession. (N.J.S.A. 2A: 14-31)

After that period of time - and no successful effort by the owner to toss you out on your ear and retake possession - then and only then would the property be deemed, as you put it, ABANDONED!

___________________

P.S. The good news is that if you should die within that 30 year period, your heirs could assume your roll and "tack on" the years that you were "camped out" in the warehouse!