Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-07-17
DeIlaq uent Lands.
THE NEW LAW WITH REFERENCE TO
SELLING THEM.


SELLING THEM.
The new law enacted by the last legisla-
ture with reference to sale Of lands for de-
linquent taxes materially changes methods
hitherto in vogue. and may cause trouble
to many land owners if they fail to take
notice of the change. Large quantities OF
land in some of the counties are involved.
The law has been that when the land is
sold for delinquent taxes and the State be-
comes the purchaser, the owner has two
years in which to redeem it, but the prac-
tice has been that even at the expiration OF
the two years, an indefinite time was al
lowed the holders to make good the delin-
quent taxes. Now, however, by the re-
cent enactment of the legislature any per-
son can buy piece Of delinquent property
at the end of the two years specified. Fol-
lowing are salient points in the law as
amended
When real estate purchased in the name
of the auditor is not redeemed within two
years Of such purchase, any person deslr-
ing to purchase it shall file an application
with the clerk of the county or corpora
tion court wherein such real estate is stu
ated, for the purchase of such real estate
for the amount for which the sale to the
Commonwealth was made. together with
such additional sum as would have &C
crued from taxes and levies and interest, If
such real estate had not been so purchased
by the Commonwealth, with interest on the
amount for which the said sale was made
at the rate Of six per cent. per annum from
the day of sale, and on the additional sums
from the fifteenth day of December in the
year in which the same would have ac-
crued; and the clerk shall thereupon make
out two copies of the application and de-
liver them to the sheriff of his county or
sergeant of his corporation, and the SER
geant shall serve one of them on the per-
son in whose name said real estate stood at
the date of the sale to the commonwealth,
or if such person be dead, then on his per-
onal representative, and return the other
copy to the said clerk Of the county or cor
pOratlOn court with his return thereon en-.
dorsed, and if for any reason he cannot
serve it on such person his return shall SO
show. In case there is no service of said
copy, the clerk shall advertise it for four
successive weeks. If the person lin whose
name the property listed does not appe; I
within 80 days after such copy has been
served or the advertisement in the paper
completed, and redeem such real estate
with all costs thereto attached, then pei
son who made the application shall have a
report made by the surveyor, at his own
expense, specifying the metes and bounda.
ries of the land. ETC., and the court unless
there be some objection, shall order the
same to be recorded.
Then the purchaser can obtain from the
clerk a deed conveying the property. II
1ao such deed be made one year after such
purchase, the original owners may redeem
The land by paying to the purchaser the
amount paid therefor by him. No real
estate which was purchased by the Com
mon wealth prior to the first day of Febru
airy, 1896, shall be sold uEder the provisions
of this act until the expiration of two years
from that date.