Property Taxes Notice of Lien

What is the name of your state? CA
We purchased residential real estate in Sep 2002. We (the new owners) rcvd supplemental as well as regular property tax bills for 2002 and 2003 that we paid.
However there is one bill that is on our house address but addressed to the seller.

I spoke twice with the county tax collector office and they told me that these property taxes are owed by the previous seller while they were living here. They also told me that our house may not be foreclosed or whatever due to non payment...it only affects the previous owners credit...

However we just rcvd a notice of lien (addressed to the previous owner). We have fwd 2 previous correspondences to them (thru the sellers real estate agent).

Is there any thing else i can or should do?

[HomeGuru]

Originally posted by rmulchandani
What is the name of your state? CA
We purchased residential real estate in Sep 2002. We (the new owners) rcvd supplemental as well as regular property tax bills for 2002 and 2003 that we paid.
However there is one bill that is on our house address but addressed to the seller.

I spoke twice with the county tax collector office and they told me that these property taxes are owed by the previous seller while they were living here. They also told me that our house may not be foreclosed or whatever due to non payment...it only affects the previous owners credit...

However we just rcvd a notice of lien (addressed to the previous owner). We have fwd 2 previous correspondences to them (thru the sellers real estate agent).

Is there any thing else i can or should do?

**A: go back to the escrow title company and find out why the taxes were not paid in escrow.

Thanks! However a clarification...
should i talk to the Escrow officer or the Title company? I sure did get quite a runaround between the 2 when we were purchasing the house...
they are 2 different entitities...

[Souix]

Originally posted by rmulchandani
Thanks! However a clarification...
should i talk to the Escrow officer or the Title company? I sure did get quite a runaround between the 2 when we were purchasing the house...
they are 2 different entitities...

***Talk to the escrow officer that closed your transaction***

[HomeGuru]

Originally posted by rmulchandani
Thanks! However a clarification...
should i talk to the Escrow officer or the Title company? I sure did get quite a runaround between the 2 when we were purchasing the house...
they are 2 different entitities...

**A: talk to both.

Spoke with Escrow/title. They are saying all taxes were paid.
However i did some more research and found the following.

* I think the property tax bill that i rcvd (in the previous owners name) said that it was "unsecured property tax". Am not 100% but i'll confirm.

LA County tax assessor website says: "...All property that is not real property is considered personal property and therefore are issued an Unsecured tax bill. There are several types including, .... Supplemental Escape and Pro-Rated Escape Taxes on real property that has changed ownership prior to issuance of the tax bill.

I am thinking that the county knows of the ownership change (which explains the 4 bills in my name) and therefore its going after the previous seller (since the bill in question is in his name)...and is doing so as a "unsecured tax".

But then why would they send a "notice of lien" saying property may be sold...

Gurus?
[COLOR=red]Unsecured[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]Supplemental Escape and Pro-Rated Escape Taxes on real property that has changed ownership prior to issuance of the tax bill. [/COLOR]

[Souix]

Did you find out what the personal property is that is being taxed?

[HomeGuru]

Writer, if the bill is for personal property tax then you should not be liable since it has nothing to do with your purchase of the real property or the related real property tax.