"Unknown Land" within my neighborhood

[steppinthrax]

My wife and I bought a house within a neighborhood that is mostly wooded. The neighborhood was originally under an HOA in the 80’s but it was abolished. During the purchase of our house we got a developer drawing indicating all of the lots and the size. I noticed a small lot at the end of another street that is marked as a “community playground”, however it’s overgrown with trees and weeds, it seems like nothing is there. It’s about 1AC. I was told that since there is no HOA it has been returned to the community. My question is this.

1. Who actually owns this?

2. What would be the process of getting it cleared and permission to build or develop for the neighborhood?

3. What are some methods of obtaining funding to do this, I don’t believe there are enough neighbors to contribute $$$. Could I obtain funding from a company of local gov/federal, as a grant etc…?

 

[KB]

Does it have an address? You can search your states department of taxation and assessment records for the ownership information.

 

[steppinthrax]

Does it have an address? You can search your states department of taxation and assessment records for the ownership information.

No address, it's just a piece of land between two houses.

 

[bignateyk]

No address, it's just a piece of land between two houses.

Are "dibs" still available?

 

[Capt Caveman]

This might be crazy but why don't you contact the city/town and ask?

 

[Linflas]

Interesting question actually. As far as I know common areas are not owned by the HOA rather they are managed by the HOA in the name of all the homeowners in the community. Absent an HOA it would seem that you and your neighbors each own a sliver of that common area. If there are any original owners left you may want to see if they have a copy of the by laws and other HOA info, those may very well spell out what happens to the common area upon dissolution of the HOA.

http://real-estate.lawyers.com/home...ution-of-Your-Homeowners-Association-HOA.html

 

[amish]

you need to find the parcel or lot number. once you have the number you can go to your property tax assessor to find out who actually owns the lot.

some assessors have online tools (GIS) that will allow you to search out parcels and lots by using overhead satellite photos that have the parcels plotted out. what county and state are you in?

 

[steppinthrax]

Interesting question actually. As far as I know common areas are not owned by the HOA rather they are managed by the HOA in the name of all the homeowners in the community. Absent an HOA it would seem that you and your neighbors each own a sliver of that common area. If there are any original owners left you may want to see if they have a copy of the by laws and other HOA info, those may very well spell out what happens to the common area upon dissolution of the HOA.

This is what I"m thinking. I was doing some reading and in order for me to "control" the land I would have to sign a "joint partnership" with each and every neighbor in order to allow me to develop.....

 

[Train]

try zillow.com, they had a clickable map of my neighborhood where you could click a plot and get it's lot number. From there you ould ask your township/city office who owns it.

FWIU it varies depending on the area as to how good their data is.

 

[Linflas]

This is what I"m thinking. I was doing some reading and in order for me to "control" the land I would have to sign a "joint partnership" with each and every neighbor in order to allow me to develop.....

Are you and like minded neighbors considering re-establishing it as a tot lot? If so consider that you will probably be responsible for insuring it for that use, a function typically handled by the HOA. In fact that makes me wonder who would be responsible for it right now if someone was injured on that lot? Could they end up suing the community as a whole since there is no longer an HOA purchasing insurance? I am more curious how the miracle of dissolving an HOA was accomplished.

 

[steppinthrax]

try zillow.com, they had a clickable map of my neighborhood where you could click a plot and get it's lot number. From there you ould ask your township/city office who owns it.

FWIU it varies depending on the area as to how good their data is.

Good catch. I went to zillow and found the "blank land". It actually has an address. Why would land have and address with no house???? Anyway I went to the online property serach for MD. It's owned by the HOA and it does have a name (name of president of original HOA). However, the HOA is gone.....

 

[Gothgar]

stake a claim

 

[Patranus]

Just clear it and use it for the community. Who is going to sue you if there is no one to sue you? Also, if you "just do it" and no one sees you clear it then who are these mythical people going to sue you?

Alternative solution would be to file a "blight" complaint against the land owner and the city would take care of the rest.

 

[IronWing]

Just start parking your stuff over there. If no one bitches in the first few months, it's yours to use for life. If they do complain, suggest a park and coopt the complainers into going the work.

 

[weadjust]

Good catch. I went to zillow and found the "blank land". It actually has an address. Why would land have and address with no house???? Anyway I went to the online property serach for MD. It's owned by the HOA and it does have a name (name of president of original HOA). However, the HOA is gone.....

Who is paying the property tax?

 

[steppinthrax]

Who is paying the property tax?

LOLOLOLOL. I don't think it's a good idea to start working on this....

 

[MotionMan]

Good catch. I went to zillow and found the "blank land". It actually has an address. Why would land have and address with no house????

Because all property needs to be identified? The developer probably put it on the development map and gave it an address.

Anyway I went to the online property serach for MD. It's owned by the HOA and it does have a name (name of president of original HOA). However, the HOA is gone.....

You may need pull the HOA CC&Rs. Since they were recorded, they should not be very hard to pull up under the history of your property. They should say what happens to the community property and you can petition the govt. to reassign the property as stated in the CC&Rs.

Now that I think about it, who maintains the roads in your community? That may give you an idea of who may control that property.

MotionMan

 

[Phoenix86]

you need to find the parcel or lot number. once you have the number you can go to your property tax assessor to find out who actually owns the lot.

some assessors have online tools (GIS) that will allow you to search out parcels and lots by using overhead satellite photos that have the parcels plotted out. what county and state are you in?

+1

 

[MotionMan]

Just start parking your stuff over there. If no one bitches in the first few months, it's yours to use for life. If they do complain, suggest a park and coopt the complainers into going the work.

I guess you could try to adversely possess it. Check the laws in your state as to what is necessary. Since no one seems to be paying attention to it, you may just get away with it (unless it belongs to the government, which cannot have property taken by adverse possession).

MotionMan

 

[OlafSicky]

Find out what squatters rights are in your area park a trailer there and soon you will be the owner of a building lot.

 

[Linflas]

LOLOLOLOL. I don't think it's a good idea to start working on this....

Did you find it in the Maryland SDAT database? You should be able to use the info from that to plug into your county website to see what the tax situation is. Having just dealt with a property tax issue in Maryland last summer trust me they don't let it just sit.

 

[96Firebird]

Put a flag on it. Duh.

 

[Blieb]

If it's not specifically owned by a person, it is likely owned by the immediately adjoining land owners.

If that is the case, there is probably a common use easement in place that would provide for use of the owned land by neighbors.

 

[Joepublic2]

Well if the city/county/state owns it and it truly is completely disused I'd like to suggest comedy option "grow weed on it".

 

[steppinthrax]

Did you find it in the Maryland SDAT database? You should be able to use the info from that to plug into your county website to see what the tax situation is. Having just dealt with a property tax issue in Maryland last summer trust me they don't let it just sit.

Just went to the maryland property taxes "online payment" area and put in the address. It indicates the property taxes are 0.00 and it says "XXXXXXXXX homeowners association"