Updated 14 days ago on .
Alabama Tax Deed Quiet Title Action FINALLY over
Good day to all! I wanted to share my experience in obtaining a QAT on a tax deed property which I obtained from my father with a QC deed as his health was declining. I hired a local attorney whose primary work is in real estate/titles. I also based my decision on the fact my father had used him on multiple property sales. Where I live my father was a well known and VERY respected man and I believed this attorney would do right by me. WRONG is all I can say. What should have taken 6 months or less to complete the QAT, it took nearly 18 months.
This previous home owner had inherited the home (only heir) and failed to pay the taxes. After nearly 5 years my father wanted to clean up the property and home and sell it however a squatter had moved in (no utilities) and we had to go through the legal steps to have him evicted. My father and I cleaned out, cleaned up and started the necessary repairs in order for him to sell it, unfortunately his health stopped his ability to do so and he deeded the property to me. I had never heard of a QAT until a buyer couldn't secure a bank loan as the title was clouded and so my journey began.
After giving my attorney 3k to start the process it was 6 months before I heard from him. I did not call as I was told by a former employee (after the fact) if a person called to inquire about their deed, title or anything to do with their situation their 'file would be moved to bottom of the pile'. Needless to say I was upset. Not only did the previous home owner have to be served but I was told the squatter had to be as well. Long story short, my sister and I located both and actually had a friend to serve the previous owner as my attorney said he couldn't locate him. My attorney was told multiple times the squatters had numerous warrants on him and it would be very hard to locate him and asked to run the notice in the local newspaper. Numerous times I was told it would be done but wasn't. I even asked if I could obtain a QC from the previous owner and was told not to do so. Several months later, guess what? The attorney got the owner to come in (after I made a gazillion phone calls to get his new number and address) and sign the QC and charged me $150 for it. The attorney then hired a QAT for the squatter and the newspaper notice was finally put in place at a cost of nearly 2k. A court date was set and I was finally given a QAT to the home. I was then able to sell the property the day after I placed it on the market for a nice profit.
The moral of the story is to do your research before hiring an attorney. Do your research on any property you may want to buy in a tax sale. The more heirs you have to locate and deal with the more $$ it will cost you. You can make money if you know what to do. Sadly, my father had multiple tax deed properties and failed to address these before his death. His estate was not probated as he did not owe for anything and all of my parents' properties and accounts were addressed before their passing and a will was in place leaving all to my sister and myself. I was informed by another real estate attorney that we would have to do a QAT on each tax deed property for us to be able sell. Many of these are 1 acre lots valued at less than what it would cost to complete a QAT. One has a home on it but sadly I am afraid to travel the QAT road again as it was very time consuming, draining and I hate being lied to buy someone you are paying to do a job for you. I do want to give a huge shout out to Denise Evans!!! Had it not been for her expertise and help I would have been lost! Thank you Denise!!
Also, I don't know the legal ramifications of this but I know of a man who has made over 250k in one year sailing tax deed properties using a QC deed. He does have a paralegal type on the QC of no guarantee of title. I would hate to know I put a lot of money into a home or property only to have someone come up and claim ownership. Just saying.
Good luck to all who may venture into Alabama tax sales!
Micki