Israel allows you to claim an abandoned property as yours. However, there are many legal procedures you have to follow for this purpose. There are strict rules and regulations in Israel regarding the handling of abandoned properties. It is important for you to know them when trying to claim the property. Hence, we list some of the procedures you have to follow when trying to take possession of unclaimed land in Israel.
Make Sure That The Property Is Abandoned
If you want to acquire an unclaimed property, it is important to make sure that the land or the real estate is abandoned. Just because a property is vacated or looks run-down does not mean that it is abandoned.
The problem you might face when taking control of the land or other property is that there will be an owner for the property even if he/she is not living on the property. Also, land or real estate will never be actually abandoned, as there will be the name of the owner in the records even if he doesn’t want to own the property. Therefore, it is important to check the legal records for finding the name of the owner to know if there is a chance for you to get ownership of the property.
If the owner is ready to sell the property, you can avoid a lot of hassles. So finding the owner is important before you claim a property, especially when trying to acquire an unclaimed land in Israel.
Find Out Who Owns The Property
One of the easiest ways to find the owner of the property is to check the property tax records. You can also ask the neighbors. However, the straightforward and accurate way of finding the owner is to check the tax records.
Another way to find the owner is to look up for the records of the property in the recorder’s office. This will help you to find out if there are any liens like mortgages on that property. In this case, trying to contact the bank can be useful instead of contacting the person who is listed as the property owner.
Contact The Owner
Once you get the name and contact details of the owner, you can contact the person directly. Sometimes the address in the records might be the address of the abandoned property. In such a case, send a postcard to that address, the owner might be having his mail forwarded to another address. So he will receive the mail that way.
After finding the owner, you can make an offer for acquiring the property. But before taking possession of the property, make sure that there are no debts or pending taxes on it. This will help you to avoid paying additional amounts.