Taking ownership of currently apparently un-owned property.
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Taking ownership of currently apparently un-owned property.
There is a plot of land adjacent to mine that has no tax map number, there is no owner listed in the GIS system and there is no record of property taxes being paid on it. I am sure it was part of the 416 acre parcel that my grandparents land was purchased from in the late 1890’s. Is there a way I can take possession of this land without it taking 20 years for the adverse possession rules to take affect? It is mountain side so there isn’t really anything that I could or would do that would be open and obvious.
Thank you,
Janet
Asked on June 25, 2018 under Real Estate Law, Virginia
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
Other than adverse possession, there is no way to get possession of property other than:
1) Buying it from the owner--and note that NO property is unowned; someone (an heir of the original owner; a trust or LLC or corporation; a bank or local government; etc.) owns it.
2) Buying it at a foreclosure sale/auction, if it is foreclosed upon.
3) Buying it at a tax sale, if the city or county acts due to unpaid taxes.
If there is no tax map number, it may be difficult to ascertain ownership. If you want to pursue this, consult wth a real estate attorney who should know how to determine or locate ownership.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.