Arlington, VA asked in Real Estate Law for Maryland

Q: If a property is abandoned/vacant how can I go about obtaining that property? What steps would I need to take.

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3 Lawyer Answers

A: Property is not truly "abandoned." It may be vacant, but it is still subject to municipal taxes. When left unpaid, the property is likely up for tax sale. The redemption laws might give you a way to obtain an interest in the property.

And if property is vacant, you are certainly not establishing the several elements of "adverse possession" that could allow a forced transfer.

You can also do the research to locate the title owner, who might sell to you at a very fair, or low price.

A: You move in, fence it, improve it, make sure the owner of record knows you are there and that you are there without their consent, and stay there continuously and hostilely for fifteen years. And, if you are sued in the meantime for trespass, you get off the land, leave your improvements behind, and pay both compensatory and punitive damages.

Or, you look up who the owner is, come up with a decent story, and offer to buy it. A lawyer can help you with that.

A: To obtain vacant property one would contact the owner and make an offer to purchase.

In some cases, where the record owner stops paying property taxes, one might be able to purchase at tax sale.

While not legal advice I hope that this general information helps.

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