Posted on 04/01/2014 5:49:30 PM PDT by kiryandil
An elderly widow who had fallen behind in her property taxes discovered she longer owned her home after trying to sell it to pay off her debt.
Unbeknown to Hertha Handler, ownership of her $1.2 million Oyster Bay Cove home in Long Island has been transferred to an investor who bought two of the liens against the property.
The 73-year-old widow had lived in the property for more than 40 years but after her husband died several years ago, she slipped behind on taxes and had an outstanding debt of $200,000.
Multiple liens had been made against the property, where Mrs Handler had raised her two sons, but she had no idea ownership had been transferred to investor Albert Kalimian.
By buying just two of the liens from Oyster Bay Cove village for about $3,000 each, Mr Kalimian was able to take possession of the property.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I advocate that the local governmental taxing entities drop the pretense that the peasants own their homes, along with dropping the language in their bills and notices.
It’s THEIRS, so why don’t they just come clean? For example, if you want to make changes to THEIR property, you have to get THEIR permission (permits).
Property taxes are only 30-40 yrs old in this country?
Do you know who owned what is now Arlington National Cemetary before the Feds owned it and how they came into possession of it?
(It was taken from Gen. Robert E Lee for failure to pay taxes).
Where I live, the tax collector encourages anyone who falls behind or is in danger of falling behind to contact him and work out the problem. He told me that he would rather work out a payment schedule or some other solution than go through the hassle and paperwork of collection, liens and what not.
Typically at the beginning of year three of delinquent taxes they will send you a registered letter, which includes a payment schedule for the past due amounts plus the current balance due.
Also, the county will reduce the assessment on the property with each delinquency, such that the amount owed (at the end of three consecutive delinquencies) and the assessed value are the same, such that the value of the property when sold will cover the arrears and no amount is due the property registrant.
It is peculiar that they sold the arrears amounts for a few thousand, rather than move to foreclosure. This smells like in inside job from the county clerk’s office and the buyer of the arrearage.
If not, does that mean that most of your taxes go to the state and the feds?
If so, doesn't that mean that most of the decisions about what you can and cannot do are decided at the state and federal level?
You may have lucked out in that the state and the feds don't care about what happens in your neck of the woods, but they will eventually. And wouldn't it have been better all along if your local government collected most of the tax dollars you had to spend, and your local government made most of the decision about what you can and cannot do?
Or would you prefer to leave those decisions up to the state and the feds who are almost impossible to reason with?
Best ask an Alaska local.
A few years ago, remote land could go $2000 an acre. Things like roads, utilities and water maybe a long way away, and mineral rights and such may not be included.
Most of the states made an organized effort to pass draconian tax lien forfeiture laws in the last 30-40 years. You used to be able to flip them off until you died in a lot of states, then they'd take the money out of the estate.
No longer. I think in my state, it's like 18 months before they smack you with the BIG penalty, and the forfeiture letter.
I would prefer not to rent my land that I paid off completely years ago.
1.2 million for that house on Long Island? Absolutely!
The taxes are probably 20k a year too!
Crazy. No wonder the young kids can’t afford to stay and live near their parents.
Long Island’s Nassau County is one of the highest property taxes ripoff in the nation. Its a crime that any jurisdiction can seize properties on tax defaults. At the very least they should give the widow a fair market value for her home less any outstanding bills owed.
LOL! The story is a FANTASTIC example of government rapine and pillage.
They got it back, BTW - after the government got its peepee whacked over its thieving. But they sold it to .gov for a nice chunk of change...
It was illegally seized and returned to Lee’s son after the Civil War. He sold it back to the government for $150,000.
The Feds didnt follow due process, which means there is a process for taking for failure to pay property taxes.
My point is that prop taxes are nothing new in the US.
In some states, you would have to list all your personal belongings yearly and pay a tax on them. I dont know if any states still do that.
It's rare to find much empathy in armed robbers...
I hate vultures who buy at those sales from people like that widow. I let it happen to me years ago but knew I was delinquent and the consequences. Luckily I got enough to redeem my property.
Even for New York, that’s pretty extreme for that thing................................... Put that house up for sale in Silicon Valley and it would be close to 3 Million. there are many estate homes where this one is located.
It’s rare to find much empathy in armed robbers... ................. even more so with unarmed Laywers.
My point is, you used to have a choice, not so long ago. Now, you're just renting.
Don't defend the indefensible.
In some states, you would have to list all your personal belongings yearly and pay a tax on them. I dont know if any states still do that.
Virginia itself was a prime example of that. I think they did away with it in the last decade or two.
LAWYERS!!!!
A Tax on Property is a Tax on Liberty.
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