Every day, across the country, people notice an empty or abandoned property that sits there with no sign or being brought back to use. From dilapidated houses in forgotten neighbourhoods to deserted commercial buildings in bustling city centres, these structures are rife with neglect and disuse. However, behind their boarded-up windows and overgrown lawns lies a question… Who owns these abandoned properties, and how can they be brought back to life?
Why find abandoned property owners?
There are many reasons to locate the owners of these empty properties. They could be causing damage to your property due to neglect or perhaps you wish to revitalise the property by purchasing it. Regardless of your reasoning, finding the owner can be a highly difficult task for the public.
Understanding the challenge of empty properties
Abandoned properties often fall into disrepair due to a variety of reasons. Most often, owners pass away without leaving behind clear instructions regarding the disposition of their assets. Economic downturns, changes in urban development patterns, and shifting demographic trends can also contribute to the abandonment of properties.
Locating the owner of an abandoned property requires navigating through a labyrinth of legal documents, property records, and sometimes even historical archives. Complicating matters further, ownership of abandoned properties may be clouded by factors such as liens, unpaid taxes, or disputes among heirs.
Traditional methods of owner identification
Historically, discovering the owner of an abandoned property involved extensive legwork and research. Interested parties would scour public records, visit local government offices, and conduct interviews with neighbours or previous occupants in hopes of uncovering clues about ownership.
While these methods can yield results, they are often time-consuming and may not always provide a definitive answer, especially when dealing with properties that have changed hands multiple times or are subject to complex legal arrangements.
The role of probate research companies
Probate research companies specialise in tracing heirs and beneficiaries entitled to inherit assets, including real estate properties, from deceased individuals who have left behind incomplete or ambiguous estate plans. More often that not, an abandoned property is due to the owner passing away. Therefore heirs must be traced in order for the property to be sold. Blanchards employ a variety of tools and techniques to locate potential heirs and establish their rightful claims to inheritance.
When it comes to abandoned properties, probate research companies can play a crucial role in unravelling the tangled web of ownership. By delving into probate records, genealogical databases, and other sources of information, these companies can identify individuals or entities with legitimate claims to abandoned properties.
We also handle the administration and sale of said abandoned property. So it benefits the referrer to have us handle the property in order to put it on the market, bringing it back in to use.
Why use a probate research company?
- Expertise and experience: Probate research companies possess specialised knowledge and experience in navigating complex legal and genealogical landscapes. Our expertise can expedite the process of identifying property owners and resolving ownership disputes. We are more than equipped to handle any estate.
- Comprehensive search methods: Blanchards employ a wide range of search methods, including archival research, document analysis, and DNA testing, to trace familial connections and establish rightful heirs.
- Legal compliance: Probate research companies operate within the bounds of legal and ethical standards, ensuring that their investigative efforts adhere to applicable laws and regulations governing inheritance and property rights. Blanchards ensure the process will be completed correctly and concisely
- Risk mitigation: By outsourcing the task of owner identification to a reputable probate research company, individuals and organisations can mitigate the risk of investing time and resources in fruitless pursuits or encountering legal obstacles down the road. The fact we also handle administration and property, keeping everything in house, is of great convenience to the referrer.
Conclusion
Abandoned properties requires diligence, patience, and a thorough understanding of legal and procedural nuances. While the task of finding the owner of an abandoned property may seem daunting, it is highly achievable with probate research companies.
By leveraging their expertise and resources, probate research companies offer a lifeline to those seeking to breathe new life into abandoned properties or resolve ownership disputes. If you know of empty or abandoned property, please fill out our form below.
