re: Will Executor paying property taxes claims he now owns property

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Differing states have differing laws, but I can tell you, in the states I have worked as a title abstractor, if this dude just paid the taxes, then, well, all he did was just help out whomever held title by paying their taxes. .... There needs to be a quiet title action confirming that the purchaser now holds complete fee simple title.

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... this post is not legal advice, just an explanation of how tax sales work. It’s not as simple as just paying the property taxes, it actually has to be obtained through a tax sale.

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Some of the best advice in these two posts.

1. Get a local lawyer, in that state and preferably that county. You want someone who knows the judges, other attorneys, and court clerks as well as local law. Internet advice is only a starting point. If you don't know anybody locally, start with your attorney in your home town.

2. I am not aware of anywhere that just informally covering someone's tax note gives one title to the land, and most states have mechanisms for debtors to reclaim title within reason.

Public policy is almost never in favor of one private party taking real property for a small fraction of its value. Otherwise banks would never make loans on those properties and folks would not be able to buy land hardly ever.