Property Tax Not Paid from Prev. Owner and my Home in Foreclosure
Hello everybody,
I
have purchased a single family home in October 2020, with a
cash offer.
In
January 2021, I asked my property manager to pay my
property tax of about 2,000$, she accepted and has paid with a check
on 26 january 2021. The amount of 2,000$ it included a
delinquent tax of about 1,000$.
Some weeks ago the tax was unpaid
and for this reason I contacted my property manager to ask her
the reason for this payment not accepted. She thought there was a
problem with the County closed to Covid for months and running behind
on all functions including processing these tax payments.
I have sent an email to the County Treasury Office and they told me that the Treasury returned the Check to my property manager February 18 and Parcel in Foreclosure. Moreover, they told me to contact them for payoff to dismiss foreclosure and that the payment must be in certified funds, cashier's check, or money order. Following payment in full the Prosecutor prepares the motion to dismiss and gives an Order to the Judge to sign and the foreclosure will not be deleted, only dismissed.
The
day after, my property manager called the County Treasury
Office and she told me that my home was in Foreclosure
from the previous owner and this should have been cleared when the
title transferred, but it was not. They required a Cashiers Check for
payment. After a few days, my property manager has paid
about 3,000$ with a Cashiers
Check, so I have paid more than 2,000$ of delinquent
taxes...Fortunately the County has accepted this payment and now the
amount due is zero.
The
Title Agent told me that
the attorney for the prior owner was in the process of communicating
with the Prosecutors Office in order to get the Foreclosure vacated,
but the
attorney that handled the foreclosure reached out to the county
prosecutor's office and they are out of the office until next week.
Moreover he believed I was mischarged from the county. Looking
at the attached tax bill I should have only paid $2,000. He spoke to
the prosecutor’s office and they advised that there is a new role
where if a property is in foreclosure the owner has to pay the full
year tax amount which was $2,000 for my property. He suggested I take
this up with the county treasurer’s office because they made you
pay $3,000…
Now my situation is in the hands of the Courts when a judge will dismiss the Foreclosure. The agent of the Title Agent and the County says I will not lose my home; I hope so.
I'm very worried about this horrible situation and I hope someone can help me to answer to my questions:
1)
Should the title insurance protect me from Foreclosure and refund me
from the delinquent taxes?
2) When will the Judge sign
to dismiss the Foreclosure?
3) What does it mean " The
foreclosure will not be deleted, only dismissed"? Will the
Foreclosure problem be resolved permanently?
4) I could have another Foreclosure's problem if the previous owner has not paid mortgages or other?
5) Do
I need to hire a lawyer?
Thanks for your help