PLEASE HELP WITH ADVISE ON TAX SALE
My husband recently in Nov went to a tax scavenger sale for Cook County in IL. When we went thru the list -they had codes for what were homes. We only selected those that were homes to bid on in our surrounding suburbs.
Well he bid on two properties that we came to find after we handed over most of our savings to Cook County that these homes no longer exist, A new Highway runs thru them now.
So, Cook county asked us to get letters from the Illinois Transportation and we did, they also included a PLat Map, and letter stating that these are infact their properties!!! Still Cook County says we have to get the CERTIFACATE of SALE and then go back in with that to resolve problem and get our money back. MY question is, we are scared that we might not get it back and have to get lawyers to get it back? or how long is this going to take? and how many hoops are they going to have us jump to get our money BACK?? PLEASE IF ANYONE HAS ANY ADVICE PLEASE help! <IMG SRC="images/forum/smilies/icon_confused.gif">
[ Edited by ines88 on Date 12/22/2003 ] 
[ Edited by ines88 on Date 12/22/2003 ]
A lawyer might be a good idea in this case. Call around and see what the general consensus is and talk to a few different lawyers and find one that you are comfortable with. You might also want to contact the States Attorney in the Cook County Courthouse and see if there is anything you can get done at that level. I wish you luck. I would also recommend in the future, make sure that you do an extensive background check on all properties you intend on purchasing and physically go and see the property you intend on purchasing.
Good luck
Hind site is 20/20 but you should have taken your car or bus or donkey or legs or somehow looked at the property. I get so excited when I pull up to a $120,000 house that is listed for $71,700. Then i get in and feel like I am going to fall over walking down the hall because I am walking down hill. You will get the money back but it will take some doing. Best of luck
Good LUCK and HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Hope this helps some
Ted Jr
This is sad, but this is a prime example of why due diligene is sooooo important at these tax sales. Never, NEVER, buy anything that you have not seen in person!!!!!! That is the golden rule of investing in tax liens.
Good luck!!
RC
You should go down to the tax department in City Hall on the 4th floor on the County side of the building. Speak with someone in charge. You will find some really good attorneys there. Sometimes they are there researching properties for their clients. Don't forget to research next time. I don't know for sure but I think if they did not pay their taxes, and they redeem them you should make some money on this deal. But I think anyway it goes you should get your money back. The Scavager Sale is the low of the low properties where no one made a bid on them at the Annual Sale. Good Luck
You should get your money back. However, you will have to get the Cert. Like above mentioned, the taxes may not have been paid, however, you should be able to get your money as well as the interest that is charged the previous owner (possible the state in this case) for reclaiming.
Lesson Learned...Thank you for your responses they have given me hope that we will eventually get the money back.
Where are you when I need to sell something?
It's great to see other people from the NW suburbs around my area (West Dundee/Sleepy Hollow). Maybe we could form a discussion group?
Sorry to hear about your problems with Cook Co. I actually avoid Cook because of all the potential hassels involved (bidding rules, impersonal service, difficultly talking with county officials etc.).
Please let us know how it turn out. I will offer one suggestion:
If you are starting out, work with the counties surronding Cook to get familiar with the process. The outlying counties are generally much more friendly to deal with and often have a simplier process to correct their mistakes.
When you make a mistake, that will not always help -- but it is much easier to ask than in Cook Co.
Glenn
Get a good lawyer and sue the county,
they sold you a lein on a land that was not theres. you will get your lawyer fee back. If someone did this to you and they were not goverment. it would be a
big crime.
ines88:
What was the outcome of this incident?
[On 2003-12-22 14:54, ines88 wrote:
My husband ...went to a tax scavenger sale for Cook County in IL.... We only selected those that were homes to bid on in our surrounding suburbs.
<Well he bid on two properties that we came to find ... that these homes no longer exist, A new Highway runs thru them now.
So, Cook county asked us to get letters from the Illinois Transportation and we did, they also included a PLat Map, and letter stating that these are infact their properties!!! Still Cook County says we have to get the CERTIFACATE of SALE and then go back in with that to resolve problem and get our money back. MY question is, we are scared that we might not get it back and have to get lawyers to get it back? or how long is this going to take? and how many hoops are they going to have us jump to get our money BACK?? PLEASE IF ANYONE HAS ANY ADVICE PLEASE help! ]