Welcome to The Home Equity Theft Reporter, a blog dedicated to informing the consumer public and the legal profession about Home Equity Theft issues. This blog will consist of information describing the various forms of Home Equity Theft and links to news reports & other informational sources from throughout the country about the victims of Home Equity Theft and what government authorities and others are doing about it.
Monday, August 08, 2016
Texas Woman Hit With Tax Foreclosure Notice Due To Hike In Property Assessment When Her Brother Placed His Mobile Home On Her Land
In Linn, Texas, KRGV-TV Channel 5 reports:
A foreclosure notice had one Rio Grande Valley woman on edge. She said a home on her property that does not belong to her is causing her trouble.
Mary Lillian Lane owns and lives in a tiny prairie home in Linn, Texas. Lane said six years ago her land was disrupted when her brother moved his home onto her property.
She said he did not report to the Hidalgo County Appraisal District. Lane started receiving property tax bills for her house and her brother's house. Lane paid her taxes and said her brother did not.
She said she was being punished for something she didn't do and wants out from her brother's tax problems.
In March, Lane received a foreclose notice for not paying property taxes. She went to the Hidalgo County Appraisal District and the collection lawyers to see if they would split the taxes.
Lane wanted separate property tax bills.
“When I got the letter…threatening me to repossess my house and the land, my other brother and I went over there and they tried to help us. They told us ‘well bring the affidavit and all that,’ so we did,” she said.
Because Lane was able to get paper work and affidavits to the Hidalgo County Appraisal District, she was able to split the property taxes with her brother.
Jorge Gonzalez with the Hidalgo County Appraisal District said Lane's case is unusual, but not unfixable. Gonzalez said if there is good evidence and documentation, settlements like this are possible.
“What we would do is just allow them to have their own account for the building alone that way they pay their own taxes for the building alone,” said Gonzalez.
Lane is pleased with the outcome and said she feels better.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS tried getting a hold of Lane’s brother, but all of the calls went unanswered.
Gonzalez said if the brother continues to ignore the property tax notices and does not pay, his house is in jeopardy of foreclosure.
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