Water Ban Continues in West Virginia As County Governments Move Forward With Tax Lien Certificates for Sale

A major chemical spill that has contaminated the water supply in parts of West Virginia and left hundreds of thousands of people without clean water has compounded problems for tax delinquent property owners.

When payment deadlines are not met, counties issue tax liens on these properties and list them for annual tax lien certificate auctions throughout the state. For example, Upshur County begins processing tax defaulted properties with its first legal publication of a list in May of each year. In September of the same year, the second legal publication is made, listing potential tax lien certificates for sale.

Those who want to buy tax lien certificates should make note of the fact that they are sold on an “as is” basis and warranties are neither expressed nor implied by the county. That being said, any tax lien certificates for sale only allow the purchaser to assume the tax lien. Investors are not buying the property or parcel.  

The opening bid at an auction is set at the amount of delinquent taxes and fees due. The purchaser is required by West Virginia state law to pay the current year’s taxes as well as delinquent taxes on any property they purchase. A Certificate of Sale will be issued by the Sheriff and is good for 18 months from the date of issue. During this time the tax delinquent property owner is given the right to redeem by paying all taxes and fees due.

Although recovery of delinquent revenue is vital to the county’s operation, the state of West Virginia has many provisions to protect the property owner from loss. For instance, investors have no right to assume ownership until a deed is issued by the county clerk; in this case, Upshur County.

During the 18 month redemption period there are also requirements placed on purchasers. Purchasers, or investors are responsible for knowing what those requirements are and fulfilling them.

To be sure you are aware of these requirements, a copy of what they call “Obligations of Purchaser” may be obtained by contacting the Upshur County Clerk’s Office. Know them before you intend to bid on or buy tax lien certificates. Failure to follow the requirements could result in the county clerk issuing a Certificate of cancellation for your tax lien certificate.

The West Virginia Water Ban is expected to be lifted in sometime this week, but tax lien certificate investing is here to stay. For more information on West Virginia tax lien certificate investing, please go to: http://www.tedthomas.com/tax-deeds/tax-deed-states/west-virginia-tax-lien-certificates/ 

Remember: research every county auction, whether or not you've bid in the past. Things occasionally change and it’s vital to be abreast of new requirements. Keep in mind that West Virginia is only one of 50 states offering tax defaulted property investment opportunities.

This year there will be over 5,000 tax defaulted property auctions in any of 3,200 counties and 1,400 municipalities around the country. To learn more about how to make money buying tax liens (tax lien certificates), watch this [free tutorial video].

http://www.tedthomas.com/truth-about-tax-lien-certificates/  

Bidding at Tax Lien and Tax Deed Auctions

If you’re familiar with the process of investing in government tax lien certificates, you understand what goes on at a typical tax auction. Depending on the county and guidelines for a specific auction, dozens (sometimes hundreds) of investors can show up and attempt to out-bid each other on one or more of the tax liens and tax deeds being auctioned for sale.

If you’ve ever been to an average auction in the real world, you’ve seen what goes on. The auctioneer will list a starting price and investors cast bids, incrementally increasing the price until everybody else drops out. The last person who bids ends up owning the item.

Not so with tax lien auctions. In these situations, the auctioneer, usually as county official, will announce the lien property and bidders will actually bid down the interest rate until nobody else is willing to accept the certificate at a lower rate of interest. In this case, the last bidder standing becomes the owner of the tax lien certificate for that particular property. Learn more in this short and entertaining video: http://www.tedthomas.com/truth-about-tax-lien-certificates/

In some cases, the bidding will continue until the interest rate reaches zero percent, in which case a tie-breaking method will be used at the county's discretion. Some can be quite entertaining.

When the interest rate on a property reaches zero, there is usually an ulterior motive on the part of the investor. He or she may have no intention of redeeming the tax lien certificate. Instead, the investor may be hoping to acquire the property itself via foreclosure at a later date. Perhaps the property is developed and contains a house on it. In the case of vacant land, it may be covered with valuable trees that can be sold as lumber. After foreclosure the sale of the property and any building on it can yield a nice profit, should it be in good condition.

Here are some testimonials about specific strategies applied by people who’ve taken my tax lien training course: http://www.tedthomas.com/testimonials/

In the case of tax deed sales, counties will often allow bidders to bid down the percentage of the property they are willing to accept at the sale. The winner of the auction who’s willing to accept the smallest portion of the property once the deed is sold will become what is known as "a tenant in common" with the property owner. While the winner of the auction is only entitled to the portion of the property he/she was willing to bid on, the rate of interest always remains the same.

Real Estate tax liens may be purchased at live auctions and online. Determine which is best for you and create a plan that will help you build wealth. This is the safest investment there is. Read my free book America’s Safest Cash Flow Generator and see why. 

Buy Low, Sell Low Be Successful Selling Tax Deed Properties

Over 95% of property owners redeem their tax liencertificates before they lose the deeds. This is good news. It means you, as the investor, get paid between 16% and 36% interest. What about the other 5% of the tax liens? Well, that’s even better news.

If property taxes are not paid during the redemption period, you get the deed to the house. Let’s hope you were thinking things through before you bid at the tax auction. If you didn’t plan for what you would do if you got the property, you might be facing a dilemma.

What will you do? Sell it? Keep it?

If you decide to keep the property, you could rent it out and use the monthly income to increase your personal cash flow. If instead you’d rather not have to deal with the responsibility of owning and you’d prefer to sell, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind.

First, what kind of cleanup and superficial repairs can you do to improve the value of the property? You’d be surprised at the difference mowing the lawn and pulling weeds can make. While you’re at it, pick up loose trash and sweep the driveway. All of these improvements might cost you a couple hundred dollars, but it’ll be worth it.

Chances are you, as most successful tax lien and tax deed investors, want to free your cash for future investment. If you want to move the property quickly, remember this: don’t be greedy. You bought low, right? Sell low!

If you were awarded the deed just for paying taxes owed, you probably got a really good deal; ten—or at most twenty—cents on the dollar. Let’s say you got the deed to a house valued at $100,000 for $15,000. Even if you sold it for $45,000 you’d have tripled your investment at 300%. Price the property to sell quickly and your money will be freed. You’ll be onto the next deal before you know it.

Please visit my website and watch the free videos. Take a few more minutes and listen to the testimonials from some of my students. You’ll hear what they did and how they applied the real estate investing strategies I taught them in my tax lien training. 

Buying Real Estate Tax Liens and Deeds From Surplus Tax Lien Lists

Also referred to as “over the counter” purchases, property and tax lien certificates that don’t get sold at tax auctions are made available to investors on surplus tax lien lists. Purchasing these liens can be a strategic move for investors.

Although it can be a little easier to purchase from a surplus list than compete at auction, it would be wise to be wary. Purchasing taxliens and deeds from surplus lists doesn’t mean you can skip steps. There might be a reason these properties weren’t sold at auction. Even more diligence is often required.

Investments should never be taken lightly. Doing so is not investing, it’s gambling. The thrill of the sporadic win in a casino, unless you’re addicted, is no match for gambling with investment capital. You can walk away with a few dings but most people recover.

A bad investment can take you out of the game.

Begin by getting a hold of the Tax Deed Surplus Land List in your county and/or Tax Lien Certificate Surplus List in your county. Not every property on the list will match your plan. Skip those that don’t and resist the urge to bid on them. Focus only on the certificates or deeds to properties that are a good match.

Next, get the rules to the surplus land auction in your county. Remember that every county is different and don’t assume that the rules for auctions in other counties in your state are the same or even similar. Get the rules and familiarize yourself with them.

Is the auction process first come, first served? Will you automatically get the maximum interest rate on leftover tax liens? Knowing these answers will reduce your risk.

If you’re purchasing the deed to a property from the surplus tax lien list, research the type of deed you’ll receive to determine it meets your personal guidelines for investing. If it doesn’t, be willing to walk away. Remember a good deal is only a good deal when it meets your own qualifications for success.

Buying over the counter tax liens and tax deeds can put money in your pocket if you follow through: plan, research, and qualify. These three things will minimize risk and help you reach your financial goals. 

Please watch my free video series to learn more about tax lien certificates and tax deeds investing. Other than the investment you make in yourself, it’s the safest and most profitable investment you’ll ever make.  

Top Real Estate Investing Strategies: Selling Vacant Tax Deed Land

You don’t need to buy tax lien homes in order to invest and make money in real estate. You can also buy tax deeds to vacant land and either keep for your own use or sell for a profit.

When a property owner defaults on their taxes, the government imposes a lien against the property. The lien is held for a certain amount of time and then the certificate is offered to investors at live or online tax lien auctions.

Property owners are given an opportunity to redeem their certificates at interest rates of up to 50%, depending on the state. Tax Deed states cut out part of the process and go straight to the deed sale. Since tax liens on vacant land are less likely to be redeemed, your chances of owning a parcel of land are more probable.

Unless you have a plan for the vacant land, it’s best to consider selling as soon as possible. To whom, you might wonder?

Low Hanging Fruit

Neighboring land owners are the most feasible buyers. They stand to increase their acreage with the purchase of adjacent parcels of land. Contact them first with a time-sensitive opportunity and first right of refusal. The easiest transaction you can make is with a willing buyer with a vested interest.

They might come up with cash or in some cases a rent-to-own situation might be in order. This gives a little more mileage to your investment. Carry the loan if it means you can sell the property. If the purchaser defaults, you’ve lost nothing. You still own the property.

Grooming

Sometimes vacant land has been neglected by a property owner. If you’re able to see beyond maintenance issues and negligence of the property and recognize that with a little TLC the vacant land would be highly marketable—buy it! A trained mind will help, so be sure you evaluate with the appropriate criteria.

Cut the grass and pull the weeds. Landscape if you think you’ll get a better price. Just make sure you don’t spend more than you’ll get in return. The goal is NOT just to break even. Cosmetic enhancements are best reserved for properties you know will net you much more with a little extra fluff.

If the vacant landyou’ve acquired has been severely neglected, or used as a land fill, factor in the expense of trash and debris removal. This singe upgrade, which might cost you a few hundred dollars, could raise the value of your new property by several thousands of dollars. Measure the value of any improvement you make before you write the check. 

If you’ve learned anything from my tax lien training,your vacant land investment came at a good price. Sell it at a fair price and both you and the buyer will benefit.

Would you like to learn more about tax lien investing and buying tax deeds to vacant land? Watch my freevideo series. And here’s something that explains this profitable and safe opportunity: http://truthabouttaxliencertificates.com/. Sit back, enjoy it, and welcome to the lifestyle change you’ve been hoping for. 

Didn’t Plan for Retirement? Too Late to Secure Your Future?

You probably never dreamed you’d wake up one day and find yourself nearing retirement without a nest egg. You may have ignored sound advice about saving for the golden years or about how to invest and make money. You’re not alone. Ask any baby-boomer in their 50s or 60s and you’ll hear numerous stories as to why they’ve found themselves in the same place.

Whether you took a hit in the recent economic downturn and had to dip into your savings just to eat, or whether you relied on “I’ll do it tomorrow” to govern your choices for the future, you may now find yourself in a position you didn’t expect.

Guess what? Tomorrow is here.

There are ways to recover financially and I’m going to share a couple you can get started on right away. By employing the proven real estate investing strategies I’m going to tell you about, you can do more than meet your basic needs as you age. By applying this knowledge you’ll have the ability to utilize these strategies to invest and make moneyand to support a quality of life you may never have thought could be yours.

I Can’t Believe I’m Making A 20% Return On My Invested Dollars!Now I understand why you say Georgia is your favorite state!  Just outside Atlanta, I invested $28,000 at the Tax Defaulted Auction.  I’m making a minimum of 20% in the first year.  If the property owners don’t pay me all my money back, plus 20%, I’ll end up with $600,000 in Real Estate.Sometimes, I pray that they don’t pay their taxes!

Esther Behar,Miramar, FL

Making Money in Real Estate

You might be thinking you need a lot of money to make money with real estate. Stop right there! With as little as $1,000 you can learn real estate investing strategies that have made people just like you, wealthy. Tax lien investing is one such strategy. Another is tax deed investing. To learn about the difference, please click here: http://truthabouttaxliencertificates.com/

Investing in tax lien foreclosure properties is a simple and fast way to build up your reserves for the future. Nothing is more important than quality of life, and this is one strategy that will not only help finance it, but will also offer you the free time in which to enjoy it. 

Realtors! People Need What You Have to Offer:

Here’s a way you can give it to them

As a realtor you know real estate investing strategies extend beyond buying and selling property. In a market that, at the time of this writing, appears to be down, your knowledge and influence have value. Perhaps more value than you realize.

You know firsthand that owning property is an investment and you’ve helped people make money in real estate.  But did you know that your ability to help your clients succeed at the investment game has more to it than meets the eye?

Perhaps a few of your clients have been turned away because they didn’t have the down payment required to purchase commercial or residential property—or even land. With the information you’re about to read, you can help your clients learn how investing in tax liens and tax deeds can help turn their situations around.

As have tens of thousands of folks have done, you and your clients can see almost immediate changes in your bottom line by employing proven real estate investing strategies with tax lien investments. The only thing that separates you from them  is training.   

As a realtor, you’ve likely seen clients’ homes foreclosed upon. You’ve probably helped out a few with a short sale option.

Along with this, you might also be familiar with tax lien foreclosure homes; those homes that after having a lien imposed, have been foreclosed upon for failure or inability to pay taxes. These are all sad situations and pull at our heart strings. No one wants to see anyone lose their home. But it does happen.

On the other side of these often unavoidable situations is the opportunity to buy government tax lien certificates and hold them as (best case scenario) property owners get back on their feet. Some get a second chance. Others are never able to recover and we see tax lien homes for sale.

Do you have clients of limited means interested in making money with real estate? This might be a great way for them to get started. In most cases, as long as their own property taxes are paid, your clients can learn about tax lien investing as a way to build up their assets to bankroll their real estate investments and acquire the skills to fill their financial coffers for the future. 

Are you looking for ways to revive your real estate business and help your clients improve quality of life? Seeking and buying tax lien homes for sale can offer opportunities for both. As a realtor, people need your help. Talking to them about investing in tax lien certificates is a way you can offer it. 

Would you be interested in tax lien training? Visit …