A very strange thing happened today

We got a call from a RE agent who we know this morning asking us if we owned a particular block of land in our suburb because someone wants to buy it.

We said "no" and she then told us that via PriceFinder, we are shown as the owners.

This particular block was owned by an old friend of ours for many years and he died 3.5 years ago, so maybe he left it to us, but we assume the estate has been distributed etc after all this time?

Just wondering why PriceFinder would still be showing us as the owners if in fact everything in court has been finalised?

We asked the council and they said that the block is still in the name of the deceased which seemed strange as he passed 3.5 years ago?

Not sure what to think at this stage, & wonder if anyone has any thoughts that they could add?

thanks

 

Strange. Track down the notice of probate and distribution of the estate and the executor

 

Can you contact PriceFinder to identify where they got that ownership information?

 

just do a title search?

 

Correct Y-Man, never owned this ever

 

Yes, we did the title search & the property is still in the deceased name & at council, 3.5 years AFTER he has passed away

 

i dont have subscription to Pricefinder, but would they even tell me WHERE their info came from?

 

How do i do this Terry?

thanks

 

If QLD see Searches for wills and probate

 

I should have said this was Victoria....is it the same for Victoria or a different search?

thanks

 

Are there any other resources or tools you can use to check ownership information?

 

different

 

Maybe this? https://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/wills-and-probate/searching-probate-records

But in your situation it's probably not a bad idea to talk to a Melbourne legal firm and see if they can give any assistance. It's a unique situation but you don't want to find out that land tax or council rates have been piling up in your name without you knowing.

 

Have you seen this happen?

 

The council actually tried to find descendants of the original owners before wiping off the debt of blocks that sit under a river that moved.
Mother Nature sends a long-forgotten street to a watery grave

 

Maybe someone's trying for adverse possession?

 

Your name had to come from somewhere. Contact Pricefinders and ask them to clarify the information and where it came from would be my first stop. If they say it came from the council then tell, them council still has other owner listed. Then they will need to start a process to clarify the information.

 

Could be a PEXA / conveyancing glitch. PEXA has already been caught out failing to update all the relevant information in an ownership transfer... we've seen one whereby in the last ownership transfer it did not update the ECT Control (Electronic Control) to match that of the mortgage holder.