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home sold for delinquent taxes...what can I take with me??

Posted on: 05th Mar, 2012 06:22 pm
Almost 2 years ago my home was sold at auction for an old tax debt that was supposed to have been paid at closing when purchasing the property in the first place. It showed on our closing papers that the amount was taken out of our funds, but somehow it didn't get paid, or it did but nobody noted it. In the year prior to the auction I had a very serious accident, and my husband had to take care of me and 4 young children, and basically was unaware of the situation. We were visited by a stranger one day telling us he was now the new owner of the house and we had to leave. We were shocked and devastated to say the least. To find that an 1800. unpaid tax bill that had grown to 6,000 in interest in fees over a 15 yr. period caused our home to be sold out from under us. It was sold for 60,000. The house had just been appraised at 200,000. Our mortgage at the time was 1,400 per month including taxes and was never late. The new owner told us we could stay in the home as long as we continued to pay the same amount in a lease to him. Now to the question at hand: Prior to may accident, we had been constantly doing upgrades to the home, we had purchased new kitchen cabinets to put in that were still in the barn, we had just put a new gas fireplace in, weeks before, my husband had surprised my by building a new front porch. My question.....we have to move. We cannot continue to pay the rent, although we have struggled for this long to keep it, as it has been my childhood home. What can we take with us? We have been heating the last 2 years with a pellet stove we hooked up because the chimney for the existing furnace needed to be replaced, obviously once it was not our home, we did not make the investment. Can I take the stove? Honestly, I would love to take everything that isn't bolted down. Just before I was hurt we spent 10,000 on a new master bath with stand up shower, jacuzzi tub, dresser/type vanity, and the most expensive fixtures I have ever purchased. Again....not expecting to lose the home. What can I take, and if I do take something that I shouldn't, what can the new owner do to me?
I would appreciate any answers as soon as possible. Btw....you may wonder how we didn't know that this tax amount was due? Evidently, the year after we purchased the house, the county that we live in sold all delinquent tax bills to a private company. On two occassions I received a letter about unpaid taxes, and I directly called my county tax department who checked and said that we owed nothing. Of course not! It was part of our mortgage for 15 years and always paid on time. I feel like I have been taken advantage of, and lost everything. Please help.
Hi leeshort!

Welcome to forums!

You may be able to take the stove. Nevertheless, it will be better if you could consult a real estate attorney and take his help in this matter. He will better assist you in knowing what items you can take with yourself when you leave the property.

Feel free to ask if you've further queries.

Sussane
Posted on: 05th Mar, 2012 09:03 pm
Sussane, Thank you for responding. I have a real estate attorney that is working on the home we are moving into, but he has not called back. =( I am not a real estate professional, so I try to look at things in a common sense way....I know that is not always the way it is though.
I keep thinking that if we had been aware of what was going on, there is NO DOUBT we would have worked out paying the 6,000. Common sense tells me that all I would have had to do was take the copy of my closing statements showing that the money was taken from the funds at closing by the lawyer to pay the taxes. Once the house was sold, and I contacted the Property Tax division, they said it didn't matter now, it was too late.
So....IF I had known the home was going to be sold, I would obviously not made the improvements on it in the months prior to that. I would have taken as much out as possible, since when we purchased the home it was barely a shell that everyone told us to bulldoze. I would have had my three gas fireplaces out, my new bathroom vanity, my 300.00 ceiling fans, the two chandeliers I had just put in.... The new owner has not physically been in the home beyond the front door....how does he know what was here prior to the sale and what wasn't? I don't plan on being destructive in any way......but I really feel like we have been so cheated....and I want to take these things. If I do....what can happen? Can he have me arrested? Can he sue if he wants? I need some answers. The new owner has done nothing but continue to collect 1400. a month from me, not caring that there was no heat in the house etc..... (the fireplaces have not been hooked up as of yet....we needed to have a propane tank delivered for them.)
Posted on: 06th Mar, 2012 07:02 am
Hi leeshort,

I don't think you should take the items now as the property is already in foreclosure. If the property is found to be damaged in any way, then the lender may take legal steps against you. I will suggest you to wait for your lawyer's reply.

Thanks
Posted on: 06th Mar, 2012 11:56 pm
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