David B. Craig : Attorney and Counselor at Law

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR TAXPAYERS

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT DAVID B. CRAIG, ATTORNEY AT LAW, REPRESENTS THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE TAX FORECLOSURE MATTERS LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE.

FOR ALL QUESTIONS REGARDING THE LEGAL EFFECT OF THE TAX FORECLOSURE ACTION ABOUT WHICH YOU ARE INQUIRING, PLEASE SEEK YOUR OWN LEGAL COUNSEL.

THIS PAGE HAS RECENTLY BEEN UPDATED AND SHOULD BE REVIEWED.

Q: How long do I have until my delinquent taxes become subject to Tax Foreclosure?

A: In Cumberland County, NC, real property taxes become due on September 1 of each year and become delinquent if not paid before January 6 of the following year. Any taxes which become delinquent are subject to potential Tax Foreclosure action.

Q: My property was turned over to your office for collections. What do I do?

A: You can contact us by phone or email at davidbcraigattorneyatlaw@outlook.com for a current payoff amount. Please allow 24-48 business hours after your request for us to contact you with a payoff amount.

Q: Can I make a partial payment?

A: Although we do not discourage you from making partial payments, we cannot make arrangements for you to pay the amount due on an installment basis. Once your case has been turned over to our office for collections, we must move forward towards either payment of the account in full or sale the property at public auction.

Q: How do I get a payoff amount?

A: Please call our office or email us at davidbcraigattorneyatlaw@outlook.com for a current payoff. Please allow 24-48 business hours after your request for us to contact you with a payoff amount. When you contact us, please have ready and provide the following information for quicker service: First and last name of the Owner of the property, DBC file number (usually located at the bottom left of documents), the bill number, or the CVD number (usually located at the top right of the documents). If we are unavailable to answer your call, please leave a detailed message and we will return your call as soon as possible. Please do not leave or send multiple emails as this can delay the response time.

Q: How can I send you a payment?

A: Our office is open for payment drop offs on Tuesdays and Thursdays only from 10:00am - 2:00pm. No appointment is needed during those times. Should you need to drop off a payment outside of that timeframe, please call us at 910-223-3768 or email us at davidbcraigattorneyatlaw@outlook.com to schedule an appointment. Payments must be sent directly to our office by certified check or money order made payable to David B. Craig, Attorney at Law, 1903 Bragg Blvd., Suite 4, Fayetteville, NC 28303, or you may also wire the balance to our Trust Account. Wiring instructions can be provided when requested. We will not accept any personal or business checks or cash.

Q: What are my options?

A: Please seek legal advice to find out all your options. Mr. Craig represents the County of Cumberland in the Tax Foreclosure actions.

Q: What if someone else pays the payoff amount, do they own the property?

A: We will NOT issue a deed to anyone who pays the payoff amount. We will only issue a deed if the property goes to public auction, and someone is declared the winning bidder and pays their bid amount in full.

Q: I received a Civil Summons and Complaint. What do I do?

A: Each Defendant that receives a Civil Summons and Complaint has 30 days from the date it was received to file a written answer to the complaint if they wish. If you are unsure if you should file an answer or what the answer should state, please seek legal advice to protect your interest.

Q: I received a Notice of Hearing. What do I do?

A: The Notice of Hearing states the date of the hearing. You do not need to attend. Should you want to attend, but are unable to, please follow the instructions on the Notice of Hearing. If you are unsure whether you should attend the hearing, please seek legal advice to protect your interest.

Q: My property sold at public auction. Is that it?

A: Owners have ten days after the sale date to redeem the property. Please contact us for a current payoff amount.

Q: My property is set for sale and people are showing up at my house. What do I do?

A: We do NOT encourage anyone to disturb any occupants before the sale or during the bidding period/redemption period. We have had someone misrepresenting themselves as working for our office. We will NEVER come to your place of residence for any reason. If you feel threatened, please call the police.

Q: We've had someone show up at my residence asking us to sign something to prevent the sale from being confirmed. What do I do?

A: Please seek legal advice from an attorney prior to signing anything to protect your interest. Again, we will not show up at anyone's place of residence for any reason.

Q: Someone won the bid and I still live on the property. When do I need to move out?

A: It would be the winning bidder's responsibility to reach out to you once they own the property. We do not handle evictions for winning bidders.

Q: Does a property have to be delinquent for multiple years to be subject to Tax Foreclosure?

A: No. After January 5 of the following year, the taxes become delinquent and subject to being turned over to an attorney for Tax Foreclosure action. For example, the 2023 taxes will become delinquent January 6, 2024.