Madison, WI asked in Real Estate Law and Gov & Administrative Law for Iowa

Q: Prevent house auction due to abandonment claim in Iowa without deed ownership.

I am not the deed holder of a property that I'm in the process of purchasing through negotiations with the current owner. The city is trying to auction the house, claiming it's abandoned, despite property taxes being paid. The current owner, who hasn't signed over the deed yet, also claims she hasn't received any notices. I have not received any official communication myself. What steps should I take to prevent the auction and clarify ownership?

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