How to Claim Land
Check the tax roll for the city or county in which the property is located., Enlist the help of a lawyer., Contact the state's unclaimed land division., Inquire about back taxes owed against the land., Look for heirs or others with a legitimate...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check the tax roll for the city or county in which the property is located.
This lists all taxable property within a given jurisdiction, The roll will tell you how much the land is worth, whether it's been claimed, and whether there's an outstanding tax bill that needs to be paid on the property.Many counties have digitized this list onto a county-wide parcel assessor website.
Search for "______ County Parcel Assessor".
If you find land on the tax roll that appears unclaimed, get a copy of all the information listed about the parcel. -
Step 2: Enlist the help of a lawyer.
If you find parcels of land that can potentially be claimed, the process of officially doing so can be complicated.
Work with a real estate lawyer in your area to ensure that you complete all requirements correctly, and legitimately take ownership of any land that can be claimed., You need to provide the identifying map coordinates or the address of the land you want to claim, available via the tax roll.
Ask whether the unclaimed land department has had any contact with a possible owner or heir, and if so, how recently.For instance, Texas has an “Unclaimed Property Search” available through its Comptroller’s office, which provides information about unclaimed land. , When property taxes are left unpaid for too long, the land title defaults to a public agency until the tax bill is satisfied.
In order to redeem tax-defaulted property, you must usually pay the sum of the unpaid taxes, with interest, along with a redemption fee.If the taxes are being paid by a mortgage company, bank, or someone other than the owner, use the tax report to find their contact information.
They may be willing to let you take over the bill and claim the land.
There is often no limit to how long states can act as the custodian for abandoned land.
This means the tax bills can be sizeable. , Before you can legitimately claim possession of land, you must prove you have performed due diligence to find any owners or heirs who may have a legal right to the property.
Work with a property lawyer in your area to find the actions required for due diligence, which may include:
Putting an advertisements in a classifieds section of a local newspaper announcing your intent to claim the land if no heirs come forward.
Registering an announcement on a state website for unclaimed land.
Looking into state records to find the last known owner or heirs, and attempting to track them down. , Ask your contact at the unclaimed land division for an official form to claim the land.
Fill out the form.
They may direct you to a website where you can complete the form online, or they may direct you to return it by mail.
The state abandoned land office will need to know your contact information, past residences and other personal information.
You must be a U.S. citizen to claim land.
You may also need to provide proof that you have completed due diligence, payment of back taxes, and similar requirements. , If you qualify with the unclaimed land office, and they don't find any heirs or blood relatives with a more legitimate claim than yours, then you can go ahead and stake your claim.
Ask the land department how to take possession of the land.
Make sure that you are able to secure the title to the land from the department, to prove your legal ownership in the future. , Long ago, the Federal Bureau of Land Management administered parcels of free land under the Homestead Act, but this practice has been discontinued for many years.
Free plots of land without an owner are basically nonexistent.
Be wary of any companies that offer to help you stake your claim to your “free land,” since these are likely scams.Some small, rural communities in states like Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin may offer local land-grant programs intended to reverse depopulation.
They may require you to do things like build a home of a certain size or value on the property, or bring business to the community. -
Step 3: Contact the state's unclaimed land division.
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Step 4: Inquire about back taxes owed against the land.
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Step 5: Look for heirs or others with a legitimate claim to the land.
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Step 6: Complete necessary paperwork.
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Step 7: Take possession of the land.
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Step 8: Be wary of scam artists.
Detailed Guide
This lists all taxable property within a given jurisdiction, The roll will tell you how much the land is worth, whether it's been claimed, and whether there's an outstanding tax bill that needs to be paid on the property.Many counties have digitized this list onto a county-wide parcel assessor website.
Search for "______ County Parcel Assessor".
If you find land on the tax roll that appears unclaimed, get a copy of all the information listed about the parcel.
If you find parcels of land that can potentially be claimed, the process of officially doing so can be complicated.
Work with a real estate lawyer in your area to ensure that you complete all requirements correctly, and legitimately take ownership of any land that can be claimed., You need to provide the identifying map coordinates or the address of the land you want to claim, available via the tax roll.
Ask whether the unclaimed land department has had any contact with a possible owner or heir, and if so, how recently.For instance, Texas has an “Unclaimed Property Search” available through its Comptroller’s office, which provides information about unclaimed land. , When property taxes are left unpaid for too long, the land title defaults to a public agency until the tax bill is satisfied.
In order to redeem tax-defaulted property, you must usually pay the sum of the unpaid taxes, with interest, along with a redemption fee.If the taxes are being paid by a mortgage company, bank, or someone other than the owner, use the tax report to find their contact information.
They may be willing to let you take over the bill and claim the land.
There is often no limit to how long states can act as the custodian for abandoned land.
This means the tax bills can be sizeable. , Before you can legitimately claim possession of land, you must prove you have performed due diligence to find any owners or heirs who may have a legal right to the property.
Work with a property lawyer in your area to find the actions required for due diligence, which may include:
Putting an advertisements in a classifieds section of a local newspaper announcing your intent to claim the land if no heirs come forward.
Registering an announcement on a state website for unclaimed land.
Looking into state records to find the last known owner or heirs, and attempting to track them down. , Ask your contact at the unclaimed land division for an official form to claim the land.
Fill out the form.
They may direct you to a website where you can complete the form online, or they may direct you to return it by mail.
The state abandoned land office will need to know your contact information, past residences and other personal information.
You must be a U.S. citizen to claim land.
You may also need to provide proof that you have completed due diligence, payment of back taxes, and similar requirements. , If you qualify with the unclaimed land office, and they don't find any heirs or blood relatives with a more legitimate claim than yours, then you can go ahead and stake your claim.
Ask the land department how to take possession of the land.
Make sure that you are able to secure the title to the land from the department, to prove your legal ownership in the future. , Long ago, the Federal Bureau of Land Management administered parcels of free land under the Homestead Act, but this practice has been discontinued for many years.
Free plots of land without an owner are basically nonexistent.
Be wary of any companies that offer to help you stake your claim to your “free land,” since these are likely scams.Some small, rural communities in states like Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin may offer local land-grant programs intended to reverse depopulation.
They may require you to do things like build a home of a certain size or value on the property, or bring business to the community.
About the Author
Diane Kennedy
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in practical skills and beyond.
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