Tax-Deed Info and Research! The most important pre auction research is conducted in three locations. Clerk of Courts, Property Appraiser's, your car.

While the information on this page is county specific, the steps followed in Dade County will be similar in other counties. Access to information will be supported by the same offices throughout Florida.

At this point we know the when and where, next stop is the Property Appraiser's office. Miami-Dade Property Appraiser

Propgression To Conduct Appraiser's Records Search

The progression of links to follow to retrieve the parcel map/assessment information from the Property Appraiser's website is as follows:

• Property Search,
,
• Begin Search,
• Show me-Property Information by folio number 3078280020010,
• Locate.

Make sure your pop up blocker is off or results for some of these functions will not be found.

You should now be looking at a map of the parcel. The parcel is approximately 55x110 in size. Check the Additional Information for zoning and usage information on the parcel.

If you are still interested click the folio number under Summary Details to retrieve tax information on the parcel. If you are still interested in this property, under Show Me select Property Sales. The next page will be a .5 mile map of the area surrounding the parcel. You can extend out 1.5 miles in area and search for previous years if necessary.

I see a parcel sold in 2007 off 348St/ 212 Ave. Bring the highlighted parcel into full view by depressing the pan button on the active tool bar (white hand). Then hold the left mouse key and scroll the map in the direction you would like. Once the highlighted parcel is in full view depress the identify button (white i in black circle) on the active tool bar. Now hover over the highlighted parcel or any parcel you wish to get additional information about and depress your left mouse key. Make sure your pop up blocker is off or the information will not be returned.

Once opened, basic information about the property you wished to identify can be expanded by clicking on the folio number. As you can see there is no comparison, the property you are researching for the tax deed sale is a vacant parcel without road frontage and this 1986 home sold in 2007 for $430,000. It seems there is not a comparable property sale within 1.5 miles of your target parcel for 2007 or 2008. I am looking at records on 12/20/2008, so depending on when you are searching; your results may be different.

Tax-Deed Info Now in hand
You now should have: a parcel map, the legal description, name and address of person the property is assessed to, tax information, zoning information, current usage information and information on comps in the area.

The next stop is the Clerk of Courts Office,
Tax-Deed Info at Clerk of Courts Office Miami-Dade Check the Find Tax Deed Sales link found on this page. Check this link frequently to be assured the parcel your interested in is still being auctioned. From this link you will also find the List of Lands Available and future tax deed auction postings.

Back at the Clerk's home page locate the Search Recorded Documents link. This will open the portal to official records for this county. Select standard record search. Enter the name given above (person property is assessed to). Returned will be the recorded documents containing this name. The property you are researching was conveyed to the above named by Quit Claim Deed, which typically does not warrant/defend against defects of title. In most instances title insurance is not issued with this type of conveyance.

If you are still interested in the parcel, use the Grantee's/Grantor's named in the Quit Claim Deed as your next search queries. Keep working your way back in time searching for documents recorded which convey the property. You will want to be assured there is no recorded liens against that party (person who quit claimed to above named) which will attach and survive the tax-deed issuance.

The object of conducting this level of research and title detail is that you want to be assured there are no hidden problems. The Clerk's office does conduct a title search prior to the auction which can be viewed at the Clerk of Courts Office or Tax Deeds Office. A common problem is that the date of certification on the title search may be months prior to the auction. So you are looking at information which may be outdated by as much as 4 months. In that time period, the assessed value may change, the owners may have filed for bankruptcy, new liens may have levied against the property or owners, the owners may have sold the property. All of these are need to know, before the auction. If you find no documents were recorded after the certificate date on the counties title report and your title research matches that in the tax deed file,

Tax-Deed Info UPDATE: Recent F.S. changes affecting which liens are considered superior to issuance of tax deed and certificate of title, must have info for tax deed investors.
Get The Update

Once you are satisfied with the title research, its time to move out away from online sources. You will need to go to the Clerk of Courts Office or Tax Deeds Office and physically view the tax-deed file, in most counties. This should substantiate your online research findings. The tax-deed files can normally be viewed at the general recording desk at the Clerks Office, Tax Deeds Office or Office of the Comptroller. The best and first stop should be general recording to ask where to view the files.

The tax deed file will contain:

• the Clerk's Affidavit,
• title research,
• legal description,
• prior owners information,
• map of subject property in most counties,
• copies of:
• recorded conveyances,
• death certificates,
• judgments,
• recorded liens-if applicable.

Once the file has been viewed, its time to visit the property. I know many do not physically view the property, but it is wise. I have seen sink holes the size of a city block that were 20 feet deep sell at the tax deed sale for $35,000 in a very nice homes only area where high and uniform lots were selling for $50,000. I also witnessed one tax-deed investor scoop up ten DRA (drainage retention area) zoned lots at a single tax- deed auction and there were actually other people bidding against him (you can't get a permit to build on a DRA zoned parcel). In both instances, neither investor returned to future tax-deed sales in that county.

Before visiting the property go to realtor.com and run a search of properties listed for sale in the immediate area of your target property. Get the addresses and asking prices, drive by and see how they compare to your target tax-deed property. Always drive a two block area surrounding your target to get an idea of where utilities and homes are located. As well, locate for sale signs and contact the sellers to get the asking price and size of the property.

Tax-Deed Info,
Avoid These

As a new tax-deed investor, you will want to stay away from properties:

• that are not most recently conveyed by warranty deed, due to chain of title defects and non warranty of title
• owned by more than 6 people or have more than 6 parties listed in the Clerk's Affidavit, due to the additional cost to quiet the title unless you intend to hold the property tax-deed for 4 years
• which have superior liens, to find out what is superior see my tax-deed tips page.
• whose owner(s) have filed for bankruptcy
• previously owned by Sky Development Group.

Sky Development Group, in its few years of existence, cheated hundreds of land owners out of their property. They would create and record fictitious deeds, get a mortgage against the property, then sell the property. In many instances they signed construction agreements on the lots they sold and took deposits for the construction as well. At the time of their undoing: there were hundreds of millions in outstanding loans, parties who had purchased land from them with title insurance and warranty deed that did not have clear ownership, true prior property owners required to file quiet title actions to remove the false conveyance to and from Sky Development. Everyone lost out. In Citrus County alone, there has been over 500 properties foreclosed due to Sky Dev Group.

Tax-Deed Info Example: Purchase, Quiet Title, Sell, in 60 days for 31% Profit.

The information found here is my opinion and should not be interpreted or construed as legal or professional advice. No legal or professional advice is being given and the use of this information is at the readers own risk and peril. It is advised that those considering this investment should seek qualified legal and professional services.

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