If you are interested in or work in the real estate industry, you have probably heard the term “deed grab” at some point. Deed appropriation is the method of obtaining a property for sale tax without attending the auction: approaching the owners of the property in tax arrears just before they are about to permanently lose the property and offering to buy their home for a fraction of its value.

The term “deed appropriation” was likely coined by large tax real estate investment firms that buy these properties at a tax auction. Deed hoarders and big real estate tax companies are not friends. Deed hoarders often seize the deeds of these large tax sales companies just before they are about to foreclose. They also call the deed hoarders “deed gatherers” and “bottom feeders.” Big tax companies, it goes without saying, are painful losers who don’t care much about the tax-delinquent homeowner and, most of all, care about their bottom line.

Since there is still a year or so after the property has been “sold” at auction before the large tax investment firm can foreclose (sold in quotes, because it is not Really sold that day), this is the best time to reach out to tax-delinquent homeowners. At this point they sell a lot, and they know it. Many have already moved by then and are happy to give up their deed to a deed hoarder just to prevent the big company from getting it. You can obtain deeds during this time for as little as a few hundred dollars

Often times, deed hoarders are the last source of help for delinquent homeowners, and without the deed hoarder coming and buying your home for something, the owners would lose everything. It’s a win-win situation at that moment. Here’s how to get a tax sale property without attending the auction and at the same time helping the owner. Don’t let the fact that these big companies call you a “deed hoarder” stop you. You can go eat pasta!