Squatter's Inn

ReyP wrote:

The old crim records should have the lot or property registration id of some kind, the current crim record is probably public record, the last owner should be able to tell you were to go to pull the record. Since the current owner is not responding, there is also the possibility that he passed and that the property belongs to the dependents, if some are living in the mainland they may be hard to reach and that is why the property is just sitting there. If you can, ask the previous owner where to go to pull the record, then talk to a lawyer.

You should be able to get the property for dirt cheap and fixing it would cost little since there are a lot of handy people around that can use the income.

Since abandoned, you may have to pay back taxes in order to clear the title, but it should not be a lot, specially in the country as it may be classified as a farming lot which pays even less.

Thanks!  This is music to my ears because I love the place and it's just a walk up the mountain from our current house.  The current owner's voicemail message still identifies him, and I ran a skip trace report on him and he is still alive.  I named it Squatter's Inn because the former owner suggested that I could just do the "Puerto Rican squat" on the property, keep it up, pay the taxes, and call it mine.  My husband isn't too crazy about that idea ... something about "doesn't want to get shot," so we will try to do it the legal way   I want to go to the property register's office in Carolina in September and see if I can find something in the antiquated books about a sheriff's deed or a bank contact, that would be my best case scenario.  We have an awesome local contractor and are not afraid of DIY projects, power washers, and chain saws.  With a good four months' of elbow grease, this property would be a great little rental house for expats to stay on a short-term basis

melendezki wrote:

ReyP wrote:

The old crim records should have the lot or property registration id of some kind, the current crim record is probably public record, the last owner should be able to tell you were to go to pull the record. Since the current owner is not responding, there is also the possibility that he passed and that the property belongs to the dependents, if some are living in the mainland they may be hard to reach and that is why the property is just sitting there. If you can, ask the previous owner where to go to pull the record, then talk to a lawyer.

You should be able to get the property for dirt cheap and fixing it would cost little since there are a lot of handy people around that can use the income.

Since abandoned, you may have to pay back taxes in order to clear the title, but it should not be a lot, specially in the country as it may be classified as a farming lot which pays even less.

Thanks!  This is music to my ears because I love the place and it's just a walk up the mountain from our current house.  The current owner's voicemail message still identifies him, and I ran a skip trace report on him and he is still alive.  I named it Squatter's Inn because the former owner suggested that I could just do the "Puerto Rican squat" on the property, keep it up, pay the taxes, and call it mine.  My husband isn't too crazy about that idea ... something about "doesn't want to get shot," so we will try to do it the legal way   I want to go to the property register's office in Carolina in September and see if I can find something in the antiquated books about a sheriff's deed or a bank contact, that would be my best case scenario.  We have an awesome local contractor and are not afraid of DIY projects, power washers, and chain saws.  With a good four months' of elbow grease, this property would be a great little rental house for expats to stay on a short-term basis

While lawyers are less in the island than in the mainland, the more you do to find the owner(s) the less the lawyer has to do and the cheaper it will be. Hope you find the owner and that he/she is willing to sell you the property.