First thing that you need when starting in tax delinquent investing is to pick a specific county to invest in and get a list of all tax delinquent property owners in the county and of all the properties that are currently delinquent on property taxes.
What to do: Get a list of all properties that are currently tax delinquent.
Where to get the list: Ask the treasurer’s office or the tax collector office in your county.
Take special note of where the owners reside. Out of state owners are less likely to redeem their property. While owners that live in close proximity to the tax delinquent parcel are more likely to sell the property before the tax sale.
You can pretty much assume that you can make a better deal with the out of state owner than the one that lives in the area. They are less likely to have a connection with the delinquent property and more likely just to let it go. It is much simpler just to have somebody else take that burden off of them than to have a think about it and taking care of it themselves. What you are offering them is more important than money; you are offering to take away having to worry about a property they don’t really care about. You are offering peace of mind. That is worth more and will result to a more positive outcome for a tax delinquent investor such as you.
Whether the property owner lives out of state or just around the corner, a tax delinquent investor must know how to communicate with this person. One sure way of starting this communication line is through a well-written letter. It is your way of expressing your interest and intent with their tax delinquent property. You want to be direct and straightforward with them without being invasive. There are standard letters I know works, but in time, you will develop your own style that works for you.
So, from the county treasurer, to the assessor’s office to the actual property owner, communication is key. Knowing how to communicate with each of the parties involved can build or halt your tax delinquent investing career. With each transaction the buying and selling process of tax delinquent land investing will go faster and smoother, and will that comes great success!