What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania
This is a tough one. I purchased a home in 1997 in Philadelphia. Several years after the purchase I attempted to do some remodeling, but the contractor said that he could not do the work as the house was not in my name. I contacted the city only to discover that the deed was still in the name of the previous owner. I contacted the real estate/mortgage company and they claimed it had been filed. Life moved on, so I dropped the issue thinking it resolved.
I decided to move to another state in 2004, so I left the keys to the house with the same real estate/mortgage company so they could sell it. I never signed any paperwork. I never heard anything from the real estate again, so I assumed it had been sold so I stopped paying the mortgage. I moved back to Philadelphia only to discover the house empty with my curtains still in the front windows. I checked the city agencies online and found that I am listed as the owner and owe over $14,000 in property taxes. However, the property assessment office still has the previous owner (now deceased) as the present owner. I contacted both agencies and only heard back from the property tax one that claims my name was placed on the deed in 1998 and that the back tax bill has gone to a collections agency. I have yet to hear from the property assessment office.
I have quite a few questions as I don't know what my next step should be. I am unable to locate the real estate/mortgage company that I dealt with as I still owe money on the house if it is mine. They could be out of business or changed names. I don't understand why it was not sold and has been left to sit there since 2004. The one agency that has the house listed in the previous owner's name says that he sold it to himself for a dollar on the same date that I purchased it. I did not have the entire amount needed for settlement, so I do remember the real estate coming up with the idea of the owner selling it to himself for a dollar and then selling it over to me. I was young and alone at the time and had no clue what was going on. I was just excited about purchasing my first home and worried that I would lose it because I didn't have all the settlement money. Could this reason along with the fact that the house is still in the other person's name be why they were unable to sell it?
I just want to take possession of the house and pay off the taxes if it is mine. Am I responsible for the penalties assessed to the back taxes even though I believed the house had been sold and was no longer mine? I never received any tax bills, and my credit is clean of any debt concerning a mortgage or property tax with all 3 credit reporting agencies. I would have moved back into the house and paid the taxes without penalties accumulating had I known it was empty and still mine, or I could have sold it. If the house is determined to be mine, do I have to pay the taxes right away, or can I put the property up for sale and pay them off with the proceeds?
This is a tough one. I purchased a home in 1997 in Philadelphia. Several years after the purchase I attempted to do some remodeling, but the contractor said that he could not do the work as the house was not in my name. I contacted the city only to discover that the deed was still in the name of the previous owner. I contacted the real estate/mortgage company and they claimed it had been filed. Life moved on, so I dropped the issue thinking it resolved.
I decided to move to another state in 2004, so I left the keys to the house with the same real estate/mortgage company so they could sell it. I never signed any paperwork. I never heard anything from the real estate again, so I assumed it had been sold so I stopped paying the mortgage. I moved back to Philadelphia only to discover the house empty with my curtains still in the front windows. I checked the city agencies online and found that I am listed as the owner and owe over $14,000 in property taxes. However, the property assessment office still has the previous owner (now deceased) as the present owner. I contacted both agencies and only heard back from the property tax one that claims my name was placed on the deed in 1998 and that the back tax bill has gone to a collections agency. I have yet to hear from the property assessment office.
I have quite a few questions as I don't know what my next step should be. I am unable to locate the real estate/mortgage company that I dealt with as I still owe money on the house if it is mine. They could be out of business or changed names. I don't understand why it was not sold and has been left to sit there since 2004. The one agency that has the house listed in the previous owner's name says that he sold it to himself for a dollar on the same date that I purchased it. I did not have the entire amount needed for settlement, so I do remember the real estate coming up with the idea of the owner selling it to himself for a dollar and then selling it over to me. I was young and alone at the time and had no clue what was going on. I was just excited about purchasing my first home and worried that I would lose it because I didn't have all the settlement money. Could this reason along with the fact that the house is still in the other person's name be why they were unable to sell it?
I just want to take possession of the house and pay off the taxes if it is mine. Am I responsible for the penalties assessed to the back taxes even though I believed the house had been sold and was no longer mine? I never received any tax bills, and my credit is clean of any debt concerning a mortgage or property tax with all 3 credit reporting agencies. I would have moved back into the house and paid the taxes without penalties accumulating had I known it was empty and still mine, or I could have sold it. If the house is determined to be mine, do I have to pay the taxes right away, or can I put the property up for sale and pay them off with the proceeds?
