Late last year, I was able to have three tax sales overturned for clients. In all three matters, the issue came down to whether proper notice had been given to the property owner before the sale.
In two of the cases, the Tax Claim Bureau did not complete the additional search they were required to do after certified mail was not signed for by the homeowner. Because of that, I was able to file a Petition to Set Aside each tax sale and then settle with the two different purchasers for a small amount of money in each case. The properties in those matters were not owner-occupied. In one situation, my client had Section 8 tenants who failed to notify him of any posted notice. In the other, the property was vacant.
Those two cases settled easily and relatively inexpensively because the client came to me right away and I was able to act quickly.
In the third case, the Tax Claim Bureau argued that the owner had actual notice of the tax sale because the property had been posted. We were still able to resolve the matter, but the settlement cost more than in the other two cases.
The lesson is simple: it is very important to seek legal help as soon as you learn that your property has been sold at tax sale. The sooner I can file a Petition to Set Aside the tax sale, the easier it is to work toward a resolution with the purchaser. Acting early can make a significant difference in both the outcome and the cost.
If your property has been sold at tax sale, contact author Michael G. Louis, Esquire, Commercial Litigation and Real Estate Litigation attorney at MacElree Harvey, as soon as possible. Filing a Petition to Set Aside the sale quickly can help protect your rights and improve the chances of resolving the matter favorably.
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