“ Originally Posted by VenumX 
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i would have to agree here. There is usually a period at which the homeowner can take the house out of the auction if he/she can pay the back taxes; however if the house is sold it usually means the amount of time is up. Like a few others have said it depends on the state as well. I think that he should go to those people who purchased the property and try to work a deal with them. If they have any kind of heart they will sell it back.
from the sound of it ,sounds like your cousin has forgoten to pay his taxes for the past several years. your cousin should have received a letter and even a phone call from several people from the tax office especally from the tax assesser explaining what was going on, and what was going to happen if he/she did not pay the back taxes. I work in the tax office, im a property tax appraiser, we see this all the time with farmers etc. if there has been a public auction to sell the property,then the time period for him to pay has expired meanin he neglected and or ignored or maybe his wife didnt tell him about the situation. usually public auctions dont happen over night dealing with property, meaning that there was weeks and or months and several letters, he should have know about this, and have time to appeal to the county board for more time. however every state is defferent when it comes to property taxes, but im sure that in every state when its sold at auction it is sold, and the only way to get it back is to buy it back from the new owners which can lead to your cousin overpaying to get it back unless the new owners are very very nice people. this is a very bad situation to be in and i wish your cousin the best of luck, but im affraid that it is to late to straighten it out with the county/township for im sure they have tried to warn him/her several times with letters and calls and possibly visits to the property itself.