What to do about unwanted land in our name? (Texas)

r/

Location: Texas

In 2019 my FIL died unexpectedly. About a year after, we found out he had purchased an inexpensive piece of property ($500) in my husband’s name. Nothing nefarious, I think he meant well. Found out there was $600 in poa fees and taxes due (not much). We drove out to the place about 2 hours from us, paid the dues, paid the taxes, thought we had signed the property back over to the community. We were 25 and knew nothing about real estate or anything, just that his dad had bought a single lot for my husband and one for himself, and one for his father also. The paperwork the community had on file even has his dad’s signature on it, not my husband’s. Well we thought we resolved the issue. The only letters we have been receiving since have been addressed to his deceased father. Some from that community, some from the county for taxes. Fast forward to this past weekend.
We received a letter this past that a lawyer was coming after us for $4,000 in late fees to the poa. I called the county tax office to confirm we didn’t have property in his name and that we have not received anything for 5 years. Quick search on their part revealed the property is still in his name, we did not sign anything over to anyone apparently (again, we know nothing about real estate). His name is on the deed as owner, but shocker, he did not sign it. There was no signature actually. Oh and the county had been sending tax paperwork to the wrong address for 5 years. (2130 instead of 2138. That’s annoying)
Good news is 5 years of back taxes adds up to only 77 dollars and some change due to the county. I asked the lady at the tax office what to do. We didn’t know the property was purchased to begin with, the deed is in his name, we don’t want it, no one is going to buy a $500 piece of property with $4,000 worth of dues owed.
Her advice was to let it foreclose since we don’t want it. That’s fine. It can go into the abyss. The only concern I have is- is a foreclosure on a stupid $500 piece of property going to stay on our record? Could something happen to our home we own? Neither of us have a credit score or anything like that.
It’s really the stupidest most inconvenient thing his dead father has done…. thus far lol

Comments

  1. codece Avatar

    >Neither of us have a credit score or anything like that.

    Are you sure about that?? You’ve never used credit at all, never had a credit card, a car loan or lease, student loans, a mortgage, an appliance you bought on a “pay over time” sort of plan, nothing?