I was doing some research on a house nearby and the records showed that it sold two years ago for $20K. Sometimes the ridiculously low price shows that some other type of transaction has happened… like a transfer to a family member or a payment of a debt of some kind which shows up as a valid sale.

Then again, maybe somebody got the numbers transposed! Or – maybe the house was used for meth cooking. The entire house has to be “haz matted” (sorry for not using the right terminology) to make it safe to live in again.