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Beat the Crowd when Investing in Real Estate
Copyright 2005 Peter Dobler We all are thinking about it and some of us are actually taking action and getting their hands on real estate investment properties. The longer the NY Stock Exchanges doesn't produce desirable returns the more people...

Real Estate Investing -- Motivated Buyer?
What's the first image that comes to mind when you hear the term -- motivated seller? You probably think of someone who is desperate to sell his property, as quickly as possible, for well below the market price - right? Well, sometimes...

Take Away Power For Real Estate Investing
As a real estate entrepreneur, you must decide to learn the secret power associated with the takeaway. Maybe, you've already used it before. You may have used it and didn't even know it. Regardless, this method is a powerful trigger that will...

Take It To The Customer
In the past, purchasing ad space was the solution to every entrepreneur's marketing challenge. Then it was direct mail, followed by telemarketing. But with advertising and postage costs on the rise, these tactics have lost some of their appeal. ...

The POWER of a Proven Stock Investment Plan
When you invest in the stock market for ever-increasing cash dividend income, verses trying to make a buck in the stock market, your mindset will change. There will no longer be a fear of losing money in the stock market. With the right type...

 
The Good And Bad Of Property Tax Investing

Gather around children for a tale of royal power. Far back in history the king owned everything. (Does that remind you of Donald Trump?). Occasionally the king would grant property to a duke. Property ownership meant wealth, so the king would demand that the duke pay yearly taxes. To this very day much of the money that supports government comes from property taxes, for you see children, government is still king.

If the property owner fails to pay the tax the county government places a lien on that property. Every year property tax liens are sold at auction to the highest bidder. If the property owner fails to satisfy that tax lien the new owner of the lien can begin foreclosure and acquire the property. That seldom happens, but it is possible. Usually the liens are redeemed (paid) before the time limit expires.

You've probably seen the TV infomercial extolling the benefits of buying property tax liens. It's true, property tax liens usually pay an above average rate of interest (it varies from state to state) and the lien is secured by some kind of real estate. Because of the infomercial and real estate seminars, tax lien investing has became very popular. There was a time in some counties when few people would show up at the property tax lien auction. These days the seminar gurus often arrive with bus loads of students ready to bid.

A good investment, yes, but there are some surprises for


the uninformed. Because property tax sales occur each year, there may be liens on the same property, for different tax years held by different investors. Like this... Bill bought the 1980 lien; Hillary bought the 1981 lien and George was the successful bidder the next year when the 1982 liens were offered.

Here in Arizona the law is very clear that tax liens for different tax years held by different private parties have parity among themselves. So if the redemption period for Bill's 1980 tax lien had expired without being paid he could foreclose on the property, but his foreclosure would not wipeout the liens held by Hillary and George. Bill might have a right to the property, but he could not get clear title until he pays off Hillary and George.

If Hillary and George had been influenced by that infomercial and thought that they could scoop up ownership of property for the simple price of a tax lien, well they are more than a little disappointed.

Oh, there could be one more surprise. Sometimes the state owns tax liens. When the state government forecloses all other privately held property tax liens are turned into waste paper.

Property tax liens certainly can be a good investment if you always keep one fact one mind... You are the duke and the government is the king!

About the author:

Mark Walters teaches real estate investing from his web site... http://www.CashFlowInstitute.com