After seeing an auction for a Marion County property listed by America’s Auction Network (AANtv), Howard and Candy Neuner decided to purchase it.
The couple used their life savings to purchase the property and relocate to Marion County from Kentucky.
Howard said he wanted to move to the area to be closer to one of his children who has a mental impairment since the age of 16.
According to records, in 2004, Marion County paid to have the property cleaned up. The county then put a lien on the property. The lien was for more than $7,000 (including interest).
In December of 2014, the property, with the lien still attached, was sold to AANtv Realty. In 2017, the company sold it to the Neuners. The company did not clear the lien and did not disclose the information to the buyers.
A search shows the company, AANtv, has had hundreds of complaints launched against them. One complaint noted the company as “deceptive thieves.”
Howard and Candy have been trying to get the issue on their property resolved ever since relocating to Marion County.
At a public meeting on Tuesday, commissioners agreed to reduce the lien from $7,329.61 to $2,856.51. Commissioners stated that the more than $2,000 must be paid because that was “hard money,” or taxpayer monies, used to clean up the property. Commissioners said the money had to be repaid in order to reimburse taxpayers.
Commissioners then welcomed the couple to Marion County.
Commissioner Kathy Bryant said in the meeting that she feels the company who sold the property committed fraud.
Howard said that since he used his nest egg, and is on a fixed income, he doesn’t know how he will pay the lien off.
Giving the circumstances, Ocala Post, a subsidiary of Jaguar Media Holdings, LLC, made the decision to handle donations for the Neuner family. The proceeds will be used to pay off the abatement lien of $2,856.51 and will be paid directly to the county.
We want to hear from you. What do you think about the county’s decision?
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