Oro-medonte properties

[Frank]

In effect, yes.  However, the owner or lien holder doesn't go to the town to get it, they go to the court where the Town paid the money and a judge decides who's entitled to it.

The owner would only be better off in that situation, if the property actually went for more than its fair market value.  The one that went on the FRench River last year was for sale on the market for $80 for three years, and nobody wanted it for that.  It went for over $100 at tax sale, and so yes they were better off.  Provided they went to court within the year and asked for it.  Lots of times they don't know that it is available to them.  The last property I bought, I contacted the previous owner myself and explained exactly what they should do to get those funds.  I no longer had a claim to it, but I was damned if I would let the Municipality get it by default.  Generally, they don't go out of their way to find the owners since they have a vested interest in no doing so - they'll never admit to that.