Pure speculation, but would a past due debt notification be sent to the “current” address on file for that particular tax bill? Even if the master tax record had subsequently been updated to a new address, if the system breaks out the unpaid tax as a separate past-due account (also why it doesnt show past due amounts on the current tax bill)? It can be rather common for an address to need changing in multiple places (and for staff to not even be aware of this), even within a single agency/program, given that they’re often working on archaic software and data that is pretty static.
I just find it hard to believe that these counties would intentionally manipulate the process to avoid the notifications from being properly delivered, trying to scam equity from honest homeowners. Seems more likely a systemic data issue than anything intentional. And then of course, if you start granting exceptions, it opens the floodgates for everyone to expect special treatment.
OK thanks, i didn’t read the new article with that stuff. There are some instances where owners are actively complaining they did not get proper notice. TO me those cases seem more a clear cut failure by the county. However the original story had nothing of that and there was no word about mail going to the ‘wrong’ address.
I’m sure the county would make occasional errors. Those should be fixed in the favor of the homeowners.
But I do agree with Glitch99 here that its really not realistic to think the county is cooking up a crooked scheme to purposefully steal homes from people.
Supposedly the final notification involves a face to face visit with the homeowner… How does that go? “Oh we went to the address, it was under construction so we left.” or “We went to the address on file but turns out we had the wrong address. Case closed. Proceed with completion of foreclosure.” Some notifications were also done past the deadline to file objection to the foreclosure. Coincidence?
At the very least, the volume of profits ($382 millions in delinquent tax surpluses) suggests they are happily embracing the bounty. In my opinion, there should be much less opportunities to make profit on tax forfeitures. It’s one thing to collect interest, penalties, fees, etc but the sheer volume of profits is disgraceful. Until you correlate it with the fact that the counties are desperate for tax revenues… then the picture seems quite clear to me. If it quacks like a duck …
WE can speculate about whether the county government in question is a bunch of crooks or not. But its just speculation.
I think that debate doesn’t really matter cause we all seem to agree without question that its not fair that the government can take someones house and all the equity in it over a $8 tax bill in the first place.
They shouldn’t be allowed to take all the equity, period.
Right I think that’s the main point. sure they get to charge a 4% foreclosure fee and some extra interest at a penalty rate, that’s fine that’s your cost for not staying on top of things. But after they get some reasonable fees for their trouble and to deter you from slacking on paying your property tax, the excess equity should still come back to you even if they do a foreclosure sale. The MA article cited that they collect something like $40 from the foreclosure for every dollar they were (originally?) owed. That’s clearly disproportionate.
That’s my line too. Dont pay your tax bill, and they’ll take the house to pay it for you - be it for $100k, or $1.00. But once they get their money and the related collection costs, anything left should be the (now former) property owner’s.
Yes I think that’s the general consensus on this. Counties should be allowed to set reasonable interested owed and fines to discourage not paying property tax but beyond that it runs afoul of either the 5th amendment against takings without appropriate compensation and/or the 8th amendment against excessive fines.
I think having your home sold for pennies on the dollar ($24k sale on home valued at $128k seems deterrent enough) plus fines, interests and restitution of tax owed would be enough incentive to stay on top of your taxes, without also not returning excess equity to the original homeowners.