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Took responsibility for taxes:is house mine?

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orangecoffee

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? New York
I have lived in this house my entire life.It belongs to my grandmother and grandfather.My grandfather died in December 2000.My grandmother abandoned the house in 1998 (and made it clear she wanted no contact with the family).My grandfather paid the property taxes from 1998 to 2000.I have paid the taxes from 2001 on.My grandmother has made no attempt to pay the taxes.She takes no responsibility for the property at all.Is the house still rightfully hers? This is the only home I have,and I have taken responsibility for it.Can the tax bill be put in my name?
 


orangecoffee

Junior Member
abezon said:
Do you have a deed from grandma giving you the house? If not, it's still her house.
no,she did not give me the house.however,a man who claims to know new york state law but is not an actual lawyer told me that if i've been paying the taxes on the house for 3 or more years,the tax bill can be put in my name.from there,the house would go up for sale,i guess.if my grandmother could pay back all the money i spent on taxes over the years,she would keep the house.otherwise,i would have preferential treatment because i paid the taxes,and i could buy the house for as little as a dollar.is any of this true? i know nothing about new york state tax laws.
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
orangecoffee said:
no,she did not give me the house.however,a man who claims to know new york state law but is not an actual lawyer told me that if i've been paying the taxes on the house for 3 or more years,the tax bill can be put in my name.from there,the house would go up for sale,i guess.if my grandmother could pay back all the money i spent on taxes over the years,she would keep the house.otherwise,i would have preferential treatment because i paid the taxes,and i could buy the house for as little as a dollar.is any of this true? i know nothing about new york state tax laws.
The man doesn't know squat.
 

orangecoffee

Junior Member
Is there anything that states the taxes can be put in my name after paying them for 3 or more years,even though I do not own the house? That is,as long as I can provide proof that I paid them (which I can)?
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
orangecoffee said:
Is there anything that states the taxes can be put in my name after paying them for 3 or more years,even though I do not own the house? That is,as long as I can provide proof that I paid them (which I can)?
Nope. Next question?
 

John Carson

Junior Member
Orangecoffee, what you can do now is not pay the real estate taxes next year and then that property will be listed as having not paid taxes, then your county will try to get someone else to pay the taxes in what they call a tax sale, we just had ours where I live, they have one every year, the county essentially auctions off overdue tax bills and people bid on them. People pay off other peoples overdue taxes and collect an interest rate determined at the auction, the lowest bid on interest rate wins it. So what you have to do is purposely not pay your taxes, then the county will try to find someone to pay your taxes which then can be you if you show up at the auction. You then pay the taxes for three years and the county knows you have stepped in to pay the taxes which are in default. Make sure someone else does not outbid you at the auction. Once the taxes are paid for three or more years, depending on county and state, the house can become officially yours. Go to your local county tax collector and ask them questions on when and how tax sales are conducted. Do not tell them exactly what you plan to do, just ask them about procedure.
 

orangecoffee

Junior Member
John Carson said:
Orangecoffee, what you can do now is not pay the real estate taxes next year and then that property will be listed as having not paid taxes, then your county will try to get someone else to pay the taxes in what they call a tax sale, we just had ours where I live, they have one every year, the county essentially auctions off overdue tax bills and people bid on them. People pay off other peoples overdue taxes and collect an interest rate determined at the auction, the lowest bid on interest rate wins it. So what you have to do is purposely not pay your taxes, then the county will try to find someone to pay your taxes which then can be you if you show up at the auction. You then pay the taxes for three years and the county knows you have stepped in to pay the taxes which are in default. Make sure someone else does not outbid you at the auction. Once the taxes are paid for three or more years, depending on county and state, the house can become officially yours. Go to your local county tax collector and ask them questions on when and how tax sales are conducted. Do not tell them exactly what you plan to do, just ask them about procedure.
I'm confused-I thought that once a house went to foreclosure auction,it was sold.Whoever bids highest doesn't own the house for 3 or more years? I haven't been able to pay the taxes the past year,and it is being foreclosed upon.Auction is in January.How high do you think bids would go on a house with 3500 dollars in overdue taxes? Also,I can prove I've paid the taxes for at least 3 years.I have the receipts.Is that of any importance?
 

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