What is the name of your state? Ohio
I purchased a apartment building. The title company did a title search and found the current county taxes due. At the closing, those taxes where paid by the seller. At closing the title company had the seller sign a Hold Harmless agreement, (that states if there are any outstanding balances due for taxes, water, insurance, mortgages, etc) he would pay the balance due.
After six months of owning the property, I received a bill from the county tax department for $13,000.00 due in back taxes. I contacted the title company and they pulled the files and contacted the county tax department. The title company found out that the tax department had made a mistake and made the back taxes un-viewable at the time of the search. The county also explained that the back taxes due are from when the seller owned the property. They also informed us that the seller had made agreements before the closing to pay the back taxes in installment payments.
We contacted the seller and he is refusing to pay the back taxes. I did not purchase Title Insurance at the closing.
The title company advised me to get a lawyer and file suit against the seller. The title company also said they would appear in court with their records that prove that the county had made the taxes un-viewable at the time of the title search.
What type of lawyer should I hire? Tax or Real Estate. Can the seller be made to pay the back taxes since he has signed a Hold Harmless agreement and had made agreements to pay the back taxes before we every had a closing date?
What should I do and how should I do it?
Thanks!
I purchased a apartment building. The title company did a title search and found the current county taxes due. At the closing, those taxes where paid by the seller. At closing the title company had the seller sign a Hold Harmless agreement, (that states if there are any outstanding balances due for taxes, water, insurance, mortgages, etc) he would pay the balance due.
After six months of owning the property, I received a bill from the county tax department for $13,000.00 due in back taxes. I contacted the title company and they pulled the files and contacted the county tax department. The title company found out that the tax department had made a mistake and made the back taxes un-viewable at the time of the search. The county also explained that the back taxes due are from when the seller owned the property. They also informed us that the seller had made agreements before the closing to pay the back taxes in installment payments.
We contacted the seller and he is refusing to pay the back taxes. I did not purchase Title Insurance at the closing.
The title company advised me to get a lawyer and file suit against the seller. The title company also said they would appear in court with their records that prove that the county had made the taxes un-viewable at the time of the title search.
What type of lawyer should I hire? Tax or Real Estate. Can the seller be made to pay the back taxes since he has signed a Hold Harmless agreement and had made agreements to pay the back taxes before we every had a closing date?
What should I do and how should I do it?
Thanks!