REAP Diary

*Last update 11/6/13
First, I'm no writer! But here, I will list what I know of the REAP program and keep an up to date diary of the process as I go through it to acquire our dream house

REAP works for:
Unbuildable lots - ~350.00
Buildable lots- ~600.00
Lots with buildings - ~2500.00

REAP (Real Estate Acquisition Program) aka Lot Links web page
http://www.cityofdayton.org/departments/pcd/Pages/LotLinksProgram.asp

937-333-3775
City of Dayton RECORDED message about REAP. (Says mostly the same as the pages above)

937-333-7379
Paula Powers. She is the lady in charge of the program.

OK, The requirements for a REAP property are pretty simple.
1. The property must be within the city limits of Dayton.
2. The property must be vacant.
3. The property must be at least 2 years arrears in taxes.

You can find out about taxes by visiting the Montgomery County Auditors website at
http://www.mcrealestate.org/Main/Home.aspx

Click on property Search and enter the address of the property you are interested in.
Next, Call Paula. She will tell you if someone has already started the REAP process on that property.
If she says yes, you cannot start the process for that property... pick another one.
If she says no...
Go back to the Lot Links website. There is a link for an application. Print and fill that out.
AT THIS TIME, the application states a 500.00 deposit must be returned with the completed application. While I was researching this, I ran across a link to a much longer application, with a 1000.00 deposit.... So, things may be changing soon.
Mail or deliver that application and your 500.00 check to the address listed on the application and you're journey has begun. (I hand delivered) You can tell this is kind of a fledgling program because there is not a lot of red tape involved. When you turn in your money, you will NOT get a receipt. Your cancelled check is your receipt. You will NOT get a website, or paperwork or anything to track the progress of your house, you will be told to call Paula every three months or so to check on the progress.

So, what happens when you send in your check?

1. Paula and her crew will check and see if the house meets the minimum requirements for REAP.
2. The city commission must vote to approve going on with the process. (I cant imagine why they would NOT want to allow it) The commission meets QUARTERLY, so you may have to wait for this to happen. (Like I did)
3. Then there will be a title search. If there are liens on the property, the REAP process ends and you get your deposit back.
4. If the title search comes back clear, they will schedule a court date to start the foreclosure proceedings.
5. If the value of the house is more than the taxes owed, the court must post a notification in the paper announcing the foreclosure. This ad runs for a week, the owners have 45 days to reply.
** I had a friend that got to this point and the shady owner sent a letter to the state stating that he INTENDED on occupying the property. This ended the reap process for him. **

OK, here is the cool part... PRIOR to April 2012, the next step was Sheriff's auction. You COULD loose your house right here! SHERIFF'S AUCTION IS NO LONGER A PART OF THE REAP PROCESS IN DAYTON!

6. After all this (and a few more steps I am probably forgetting) If no one has a lien and no one pays the taxes, Paula will call you, double check your name and address and tell you how much you owe her for the REAP fees. (generally approximately $2000.00) Send them a check for the fees, and she sends you your deed!

Until the backlog is taken care of, even with the expedited process and no Sheriff's sale, you can count on approximately $2000.00 and 2 years.

As I learn more information, I will update this page.
As I get status updates, I will update the timeline below.
Any questions, feel free to contact me.

*MY* R.E.A.P. TIMELINE: (your mileage may vary)

22 May 2012: Turned in Application and Deposit. Crossed fingers and asked for prayers! :)
29 May 2012: Check cleared bank. Was told that if something went wrong in the beginning of the process, I would get my check back. So, I'm guessing that the initial workings are good.
Called Paula to check on status. Commission did not meet on 29th as planned, postponed till 12 September 2012.
25 September 2012: Commission has APPROVED my application!! So we are on step 2. Title search takes approximately 6 weeks. I was told to call back after Thanksgiving and they SHOULD have more information. If everything goes right, when I call back, I should get a PJR (Preliminary Judgement Report (Results from Title Search)), and Foreclosure Case Number (so I can track further steps on-line) So... we are back to playing the wait game! Keep your fingers crossed folks!
5 December 2012: Nothing new. They currently have a backlog of 150-200 cases and are trying to catch up. An additional attorney has been hired to help with these cases so hopefully they will be caught up soon. Call back around Valentine's day.
15 February 2013: Still nothing new,foreclosure has NOT begun and there is not case number as of yet. Paula is getting a little perturbed herself with how long things are taking as it is all out of her hands. The PJR should have come back by now but she has not heard anything. Call back after the first of March.
1 March 2013: STILL NOTHING. I am one of 95 from the last year (or more) that nothing has been done with yet. Now the chief attorney that was handling these things is moving to the auditors office, so who knows what that is gonna do to the backlog.... Man this is SO frustrating!! "Call back on the 18th of March"
20 March 2013: ARGH! Still no word.. The PJR SHOULD be back by now, but have no news. But I should be on the list to get things started before the 130+ applications that have been turned in since I filed.
This is NOT a great option for folks that have no patience! :)
15 Apri 2013: NEWS!! Talked to Paula and found out that the paperwork had been filed with the courts on 1 Apri     . I now have a case number AND a court date (3 May 2013)!! Now, here is the PROPOSED timeline for the rest of the process....
     * The court process is apparently fairly cut and dry and I SHOULDN'T have to worry about it.
     * Because the value of the house is greater than the taxes owed, The must give the owner 45 days notice to pay the taxes. In my case, the owner is deceased, but I don't know if that means his family has the same option. (so, June 15th)
     *After the 45 days, The city will create and invoice for everything and send it to Paula. She says this takes them about a month. (July 15th)
     *Paula will pay the cities bill and that generally takes her about 2 weeks. (July 25th)
     *The city will then disperse the funds which takes them another month. (August 25th)
ok, ok, I was a little excited by the time I heard all this, so am not 100% sure about the exact steps that follow :)
     *Once the city has been paid, they will notify the sheriff's office.
     *The sheriff's office will generate a new deed.
     *The sheriff's office will then transfer the deed to the reap office.
     *Paula will call me when she gets the deed and let me know what the final cost of everything is.
     *I pay all the fees.
     *Paula sends me the newly transferred deed!
      Paula ESTIMATES that we will own our dream home by Christmas!!!!

The original timeline guesses 2 years, so it looks like we are going to be 6 months early. That's fantastic!!! The only real problem/concern I have with the whole process is that the first year (almost) we had NO idea if it was going to happen. I have no problem waiting 2 years for the process and red tape to go through... but IF something had gone wrong with the PJR, we would have been waiting a year only to find out that it wasn't going to happen and then have to choose another property and start all over again!!

21 June 2013: The city sent the bill to Paula.
13 August 2013: Paula has paid the city and the city has dispursed the funds to all the other entities.
13 September 2013: Paula called me, confirmed address and other info and sent the invoice!
16 September 2013: Received invoice and paid the final bill... Was told to give them a month to a month and a half and it will all be over!
30 October 2013: No paper deed yet, but city website shows us as owners!
1 November 2013: No paper deed yet, but city website shows deed has been filed! The wait is almost over!
13 November 2013: 1 Year, 6 Months, 23 Days.  $1198.00 We are DONE! Paper deed arrived today!!