Woman surprised to discover $500k home built on land she purchased six years earlier
- The owner bought the one-acre lot in Hawaii at a county tax auction
- She bought it six years ago for $22,500
- Now, she is being sued by the local developer
Published on Apr 03, 2024 at 12:45 PM (UTC+4)
by Nalin Rawat
Last updated on Apr 03, 2024 at 3:53 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Imagine owning a vacant piece of land, then finding out that a $500k home has been built on your property.
Annaleine ‘Anne’ Reynolds purchased a one-acre (0.40-hectare) lot in Hawaii, at a county tax auction for $22,500.
At the time, she thought it was a great deal, but now she is mixed up in a legal battle over the plot.
Reynolds planned to use the plot to host her meditative healing women’s retreats.
However, while she waited in California the lot was bulldozed, and a $500k home was built on top of it.
Recently, we saw a similar case where a doctor returned to the land he bought in 1991 to find a $1.5 million house already on it.
Unfortunately, the property was fraudulently sold by someone impersonating the doctor.
However, this scenario might be a little different as the owner of the plot with a $500k home is now being sued by the local developer.
At first, Reynolds was contacted by a real estate broker who told her that he’d sold a $500k home built on her property.
Her first reaction to the news was, “What? Are you kidding me?”
If anyone heard such news their reaction might have been the same.
READ MORE! Homeowner discovers gold mine hidden in his backyard
According to Hawaii News Now, Reynolds had been paying the property taxes for the plot, which can go from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.
However, the developer is now allegedly suing Reynolds along with the construction company.
They are also reportedly suing the architect, the prior property owner’s family, and the county, which approved the permits.
The developer says that they pulled everyone into the lawsuit so a judge could determine which party should be held accountable for the mix-up.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but – even by the standards of legal disputes concerning property – this one seems like it will take a while to figure out.
Supercar Blondie has contacted representatives from both sides of the dispute for a comment.
Nalin Rawat
Nalin started his career by working with various national newspapers in India. He has also worked as a writer/editor for many popular websites, while still pursuing his journalism and mass communication degree. Working as a digital nomad has allowed him to inform and educate through his work. When he is not writing, you can find him playing video games or travelling the mountains on his bike.
