All Forum Posts by: Emmett R. McCarthy

Welcome aboard! If you have any interest in investing in real estate tax certificates, let me know. Thanks and good luck!

Welcome aboard. My practice area is focused on real estate tax sales, tax certificates, tax deeds and other distressed property issues. Send me your email and I'll send you my seminar materials re: tax certificates. Thanks and good luck!

I provide all kinds of legal services related to tax sales and tax deeds in IL, however I am not currently practicing in IL. That being said. I have worked with a number of attorneys in IN if you are looking for a referral. Thanks and good luck.

Welcome aboard @Ernesto Garcia! If you have any questions about real estate tax sales/tax deeds/tax certificates, just let me know. I can give you lots of information. Thanks. 

Another great source of information is the NTLA (National Tax Lien Association). They have a conference in Florida later this week, which my partner (John Stanko), is speaking at. My firm also provides tax sale/tax deed information and materials on our website at http://flamm.com/illinois-property-tax-lawyers/ (new seminar materials will be uploaded soon). If anyone has any questions about tax sales in IL, just let me know. Thanks and good luck.

I second the comments by

@David Krulac. I can only speak to IL, and while the law is the same throughout the state (although applied differently in different counties) the rules differ quite a bit county-to-county. I suggest working with a local tax buyer and attorney at least the first time around. Once you have experience, then you can go out on your own but you will still need the services of an attorney (at least in IL). Another great source of information is the NTLA (National Tax Lien Association). They have a conference in Florida later this week, which my partner (John Stanko), is speaking at. My firm also provides tax sale/tax deed information and materials on our website at http://flamm.com/illinois-property-tax-lawyers/ (new seminar materials will be uploaded soon). If anyone has any questions about tax sales in IL, just let me know. Thanks and good luck.

I am sure someone already pointed this out, but the laws and strategies vary state-to-state and sometimes county-by-county. In IL, if a tax buyer has a tax certificate where the investment exceeds the value of the property they usually seek a refund via the sale in error process (vacating the tax sale). IL also has three types of tax sales, including scavenger tax sales. At a scavenger tax sale, the bidding starts at $250 regardless of the amount of the outstanding taxes. I have clients that have picked up tax certificates for a few hundred dollars where the outstanding taxes are $50K+. They are in the process of seeking tax deeds. 

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/the-smarter-mutual-fund-investor/articles/2016-01-14/paying-off-back-taxes-can-be-good-for-investors Thought I'd share this article for those who didn't see it in US News & World Report. If anyone has questions about IL real estate tax liens/tax deeds, feel free to contact me.

Are you looking to invest in a particular state or county? My practice area focuses on real estate tax sales and tax deeds in Cook County (Chicago and surrounding suburbs) Illinois. I have lots of out of state clients and am happy to provide you with more information. Thanks  

I always check the official county records, the judgment books and warrant books, if I need to be sure. If I have a client who is looking to buy taxes, we may order forfeiture bills depending on the circumstances. Relying solely on the Clerk's online search has its perils.