Iowa Real Estate Practice Exam

How long must a tax-sale purchaser wait to start action to obtain title if there is no redemption?

1. Six months from the date of sale

2. One year from the date of the tax sale

3. Two years from the date of sale

4. Three years from the date of sale

The correct answer is: One year from the date of the tax sale

A tax-sale purchaser must wait one year from the date of the tax sale to initiate action to obtain title in the absence of redemption. This one-year time frame is significant because it provides a period during which the original property owner can redeem the property by paying the outstanding taxes and any related costs. If the property is not redeemed within this time frame, the purchaser can then proceed to obtain the title to the property, allowing for a clear transfer of ownership following the tax sale process. In the context of real estate and tax sales, this waiting period is structured to balance the interests of tax-sale purchasers and the rights of property owners, ensuring that property owners have a fair opportunity to reclaim their property before ownership transfers definitively.