Abandonned House

[lokita]

Hi, this isn't necessarily a tax sale question, but I was driving by a house in Calgary, AB and noticed that it was abandoned. The windows and door were boarded up and it was all overgrown. I was wondering what the rules are in acquiring the house if you can't track down the owner. Will the house go to a tax sale or am I able to pay off any taxes and acquire the property before hand if the owner isn't even in the country any more? I am currently requesting a title search...but what do I do after that? Who can a contact? If it's been boarded up, the previous owner obviously has no interest in the house. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated! thanx!

[Frank]

Hi, this isn't necessarily a tax sale question, but I was driving by a house in Calgary, AB and noticed that it was abandoned. The windows and door were boarded up and it was all overgrown. I was wondering what the rules are in acquiring the house if you can't track down the owner. Will the house go to a tax sale or am I able to pay off any taxes and acquire the property before hand if the owner isn't even in the country any more? I am currently requesting a title search...but what do I do after that? Who can a contact? If it's been boarded up, the previous owner obviously has no interest in the house. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated! thanx!

You shouldn't assume that the property is for sale, it may be going through a re-development process, and the current owner is working on plans, but was required to board it up in the interim.  Or perhaps you are correct and it is truly abandoned, in which case the town may have boarded it up to keep vagrants from entering - and charged the owner for that service.

The title search will reveal much about the property in terms of whether it is an abandoned property, or has recently changed hands, there may be mortgages on it - which are reluctant to forclose for fear of losing their shirts.   Check with the town's planning division as well to determine what can be done with it, or what plans are in progress.  You could request a tax certificate as well to determine if there is a chunck of change owing on it - and that will tell you if this is a desperation situation.

[lokita]

Thanx that really helps! It does look like its in rough shape and may have been abandoned for 6 mths or so, I am doing a title search to find out more info and I will contact the planning division like you suggested. thanx again!

[lokita]

So after the title search was done, I discovered that the house IS in fact abandoned and has been since July of last year since that's the last night there were any utilities going in the house. Back taxes are at $5000, there's very little mortgage, if any, left on the house. BUT there are three other liens left on the house. One from 2000 which is a Crown lien for income taxes for about $25,000. There are two more liens from the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, one for $226,000 and $33,000 (that's a lot of money owed for income taxes!!) My question is if its possible to have those Canada Customs and Revenue Agency liens have wiped from the title? If not, well obviously I'm not going to pursue this one any further!

[realtor]

I don't think Crown liens can be wiped out.

[mushroom]

 Crown Liens can be wiped out if they're paid off!!  Is it that simple? Would love to hear more comments and advice on this. Would the property eventually be up for Sherif Auction?

[lokita]

I know that the crown lien wouldn't be wiped out but are the two other Canada Customs and Revenue Agency liens considered crown liens or can they be wiped out? The crown lien actually says:
Creditor - Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Alberta As Represented by Minister of National Revenue, Income Tax

[Ion]

167 Midland Ave, Scarborough, South East of Kingston Road. There is a beautiful abandoned house for almost 2 years.