74 A Roadmap for a Mercer County, PA Homeowner - Private Tax Sale - Cheap Acquisition of Adjacent Vacant Side Lot

Thoughts About Acquiring Vacant Lots for Sharon and Mercer County homeowners:

Homeowners interested in acquiring a vacant parcel lot have options to do so. It is suggested that a homeowner proceed first by having a person skilled as a title searcher examine the history of the parcel in order to identify private and public liens that may be on the record for the parcel. A title report can generally be done for $150.00. The report will identify the risks that might exist for a lien holder to come forward to make a claim against the parcel. Names of persons with their contact information who will do a title search for individuals are below. There may be others but these are the persons who responded to survey efforts.

Armed with the data from the title search report, the homeowner can make
decisions as to how to proceed.

If the vacant parcel lot is listed as eligible by the Tax Claim Bureau, there are advantages to act using the provisions of the Pennsylvania Tax Sale Act that guides the Tax Claim Bureau for private tax sale or judicial tax sale procedures.

Identifying the vacant lot - some useful information:

The first step is for the homeowner to use Google Maps to locate the vacant parcel lot. By using Google Maps to do so provides a reference
point to find the vacant parcel lot on the Mercer County Tax Parcel viewer.
When the parcel is located on the parcel viewer information for the lot includes its parcel ID number, its annual taxes for the county, municipality and school district and owner of last record. The key information is
the parcel ID. ( Google Maps - https://www.google.com/maps/ ).
( Tax Parcel Viewer - https://www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us/GIS/TaxparcelViewer.htm ).

With the parcel ID number, the homeowner can search the Tax Claim Bureau list of properties eligible for private tax sale or judicial tax sale.
( https://www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us/tax/PrivateSaleDisclaimer.htm ).

If the vacant parcel lot is listed, the homeowner should check to assure
from the Tax Parcel Viewer that the Tax Claim Bureau reflects that the
taxes being assessed reflect that a structure is no longer on the vacant
parcel lot. In most cases the vacant lot is assessed as a vacant lot. But, checking beforehand the tax rate status is important as that should be addressed before acquisition of a vacant lot.

The most cost effective procedure to acquire an eligible vacant parcel lot is  the private tax sale. A parcel purchased via a private tax sale has all public liens (county, municipal, school district) cleared. Private liens remain. It is recommended to begin the acquisition of a vacant parcel lot with a title search report to identify private liens that may be on the record. That knowledge will guide the homeowner as to what they intend to do with vacant parcel lot. For example. if there are a number of contemporaneous liens, the homeowner may elect to acquire the vacant lot for nothing more than enlarging a lawn. For anything beyond, such as building a garage, for example, or using the lot for a new loan by the homeowner, additional steps will need to be taken.

The acquisition process through private tax sale will be explained:
A buyer of a parcel in a private tax sale does so by making an application / bid before April 15th. An application bid form is available at the Tax Claim Bureau website. ( https://www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us/tax/PrivateSaleDisclaimer.htm ). The form asks for a bid amount. The bid amount will not be the only cost to the buyer. An administrative fee will be required by the Tax Claim Bureau. The administrative fee is $250.00. The Tax Claim Bureau will advertise that the vacant parcel lot has had a private tax sale bid application submitted in July. In rare case that public notice causes another interested party to come forth expressing their interest in
buying the vacant parcel lot. In such case, the Tax Claim Bureau under the supervision of the County Court of Appeals conducts a competitive auction among or between the interested parties. Typically though, the Tax Claim Bureau makes an administrative decision in late August or September accepting the application / bid submitted before April 15th.

There are other costs. For example, one that comes to mind is that there
will be a realty transfer fee to record the sale at the Recorders Office at the
court house. For more information: ( https://www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us/recorders/services.htm ).




Title Search Talent:

David Gloss
dgloss@davidgloss.com

Jenny Laslow
jenny@a-1abstract.com

Matthew Greleski
mattgreleskis@hotmail.com

Becky Rizzonelli
rrizzonelli@neo.rr.com



Contact for the above:

Samuel Walker
1354 Heinz Avenue
Sharon, PA 16146
724-342-3503
walker6959722@gmail.com

Samuel Walker’s blog about blight in Pennsylvania municipalities:

www.blighttodelight.blogspot.com