Q: Is it legal for a home builder to send documents to the property tax office to change the names of owners of a home?
My husband and I built our home 5 years ago in 2017. The home builder is still expanding and building homes. A couple bought a home in our neighborhood in 2021 and we received mail from the home builder with our address but their names on it. I found the couple on Facebook and let them know that they could pick up their mail but to also ask the home builder why their mail had our address.
2 years later…. While checking the county appraisal website for our home value as we are thinking about selling our home, the previous mentioned couple are listed as the owners. When I called the property tax office they stated the home builder sent a spreadsheet in 2021 listing the other couple as the new property owners. We are still dealing with this issue a month later and the info has not been changed. Everyone is giving the run around on the issue.
A:
It is legal for a builder to send a spreadsheet to the appraisal office, but it is also meaningless.
The owners whose names appear on the actual deed are the legal owners of the property and are the people responsible to pay the property taxes on the property.
The appraisal office and taxing entities will only use the actual deed records to collect taxes, not a spreadsheet from a builder.
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