Posted by Kristine-CA on July 02, 2002 at 24:44:25:
Greetings. After lots of research and dead-end leads, I found an heir to an abandoned property. To make a very long story short: the owner died, her only daughter never filed probate. Then the daughter died and her husband never filed probate. Then the husband died and purposely left the property out of his estate so that his son wouldn’t have to pay the defaulted property taxes. The son (owner’s grandson) lived in the property for years, paying taxes on and off to keep it out of sale and then it abandoned it when his father left him a better house.
I recently acquired a quit claim from the grandson for $650.00 (that’s another story). I am paying the past due property taxes. I am wondering if I can file a quiet title action suit now, showing that no one has claim to the property except me. Unless, of course, someone else shows up.
I am wondering if anyone has insight or experience with quiet title actions of this type. My other option is to wait five years here in CA and file for adverse possession through a qta.
Any thoughts? Thanks for your time. Sincerely, Kristine