"The vet should have paid his very low property tax before this became a larger problem." Did you even read the article?    Maricopa County didn't follow proper procedure and sold his property out from under him.  And Maricopa County, kept the money for the sale of the vets home.  He paid his taxes and was told that he owed more.  He was waiting for the money (fixed income) and was told that he had more time to raise it.  Maricopa offered to buy it back for the vet (from the scumbag) because it was their mistake that his home was sold.   The scumbag who bought it would not sell the home back for the price he paid.  Scumbag raised the price.