I might be inclined to agree with you, if the gentleman had failed to pay his property taxes in the intervening years. He did not. In fact, he continued to pay his taxes even after his condo had been auctioned off. The government now owes him at least $55,000. (Property tax refund, as well as difference between selling price and back tax with penalties and interest.) Which does not come close to replacing what he lost.
That'd be closer to 76,000. They sold it for 81,000 and he owed less than 5,000 on it (to include tax, penalties, interest and the cost to sell it). Plus whatever he overpaid in taxes after they sold it.
He could move here to Idaho and find a very nice place (and really nice people who love their veterans) for that.