Mobile, AL · Member since 2017 · 7 posts · 0 votes
Looking at a piece of property but would love to see the history on it. It's a old mobile home park if it makes a difference. Any sites to get lien info, code enforcement tickets ?
It's been abandoned for a few years, has about 9 run down homes on the land. Was functional maybe 4yrs ago. Recieved offer from state to buy the tax certificate and just wanted to know what to look for and should I.
@Brian Jackson, you should research the deed records, where you will find sales, foreclosures, liens, etc. You also want to check to make sure the true owner was the same as the assessed owner on the date of the tax sale. Otherwise, the tax sale was void and the true owner can get it back by paying you the taxes and interest only. No improvements. Any rent you collect you will have to fork over.
Often, those mobile home parks are on long term leases, not true ownership. The tax assessment records should indicate if it was a long term lease or ownership. If a long term lease, all that got sold at the auction was the lease, which has probably been cancelled due to payment default by now.
Look for flood plain maps. I think they are online.
Find out if there is sanitary sewer. Older mobile home parks often on septic tanks. If the tanks are shot and there is no sanitary sewer nearby, you might not be able to put in new tanks because regulations have changed since it was originally built. Local health department can tell you about septic tank requirements. City water department can tell you about sanitary sewer. While you are at it, check out location of all utilities. Was there city water, or was it well water?
Local government liens trump a tax sale. They can foreclose their liens (or sell to someone else, who can foreclose) and pay you only taxes and interest. No improvements. General liens, like banks, judgment creditors, IRS, Medicaid, etc. have to redeem before they can foreclose. They have to pay all the normal redemption charges, including improvements.
@Brian Jackson, you should research the deed records, where you will find sales, foreclosures, liens, etc. You also want to check to make sure the true owner was the same as the assessed owner on the date of the tax sale. Otherwise, the tax sale was void and the true owner can get it back by paying you the taxes and interest only. No improvements. Any rent you collect you will have to fork over.
Often, those mobile home parks are on long term leases, not true ownership. The tax assessment records should indicate if it was a long term lease or ownership. If a long term lease, all that got sold at the auction was the lease, which has probably been cancelled due to payment default by now.
Look for flood plain maps. I think they are online.
Find out if there is sanitary sewer. Older mobile home parks often on septic tanks. If the tanks are shot and there is no sanitary sewer nearby, you might not be able to put in new tanks because regulations have changed since it was originally built. Local health department can tell you about septic tank requirements. City water department can tell you about sanitary sewer. While you are at it, check out location of all utilities. Was there city water, or was it well water?
Local government liens trump a tax sale. They can foreclose their liens (or sell to someone else, who can foreclose) and pay you only taxes and interest. No improvements. General liens, like banks, judgment creditors, IRS, Medicaid, etc. have to redeem before they can foreclose. They have to pay all the normal redemption charges, including improvements.
You are truly amazing Denise! I guess I have plenty leg work to figure out! It's worth the risk but will be sure to not invest anything I can not get back out, so will hold on improvements until I can get more info! I will have to figure out about septic tanks but it is in a fairly busy neighborhood so it could very well be on city sewer
An easier solution would be to pay a title company to run a title search. In Florida it’s $85 and will give you most of the information needed other than septic tank issues. However at least you would know about liens.
If it has been truly shut down for 4 years (defined as no customers, no marketing, etc.) then it may have lost its grandfathering (legal non-conforming) status and may not be allowed to be used as a mobile home park anymore. In most cities the rule is that any park that is shut down for more than 6 months loses its right to operate. But you can check with the city and see the status. Just want you to be careful.
You can contact the local jurisdictions building, fire prevention, planning departments, etc . for public records requests and ask them if there is any outstanding violations or fines associated with the property in question. You can also request them to send you the inspection reports if there were any violations. Municipalities are required to respond to public record requests and fees are usually very minimal. The Planning department would be a good place to find out if the property has been rezoned, maybe there is a reason it is no longer being used as a MHP.