A Nevada homebuyer unwittingly buys an entire 84-home NEIGHBORHOOD instead of one after the manager accidentally copies millions’ worth of deeds and pastes them onto her $600,000 receipt
- A homebuyer in Sparks, Nevada, was shocked to discover that the $594,481 home purchase came with 84 other lots and two vacant lots
- The $50 million blunder was committed by a Las Vegas administrative assistant who mistakenly handed over the entire neighborhood
- Some of the lots handed over to the unsuspecting buyer were already built on and sold, complicating the legal situation
- The buyer must now transfer the tickets back to the developer Toll Brothers, then the correct title can be assigned
A Nevada woman is now the legal owner of an entire neighborhood – after the title for her $594,481 home mistakenly included another 84 lots valued at an estimated $50 million.
The unnamed woman – who when reached by the Reno Gazette Journal responded with a smiley face emoji “no comment” – intended to buy a home in Sparks, northeast of Reno.
But when she submitted her paperwork to the Washoe County appraiser, it was immediately apparent that there was a massive error, and she had an additional 84 lots and two common rooms.
Documents, noted on July 25, say she owns “lots 1 through 85…and common areas A and B.”
The unnamed woman thought she had bought a home when her title deeds were registered on July 25: in fact, she had 84 additional lots and two common areas
Some of the lots she received had houses already built on them, making legal resolution difficult
Toll Brothers’ development site, Stonebrook (pictured), is just north of the booming city of Reno
Cori Burke, chief deputy assessor for Washoe County, told The Gazette that it appeared to be a typo made by a Las Vegas-based firm, Westminster Title.
That meant the woman who wanted to buy just one property ended up getting the title deeds for dozens of others as well – many of which have already been sold.
“It appears that Westminster Title of Las Vegas may have copied and pasted a legal description from another Toll Brothers transmission when preparing the[homebuyer’s]deed for recording,” she said.
“As it was quite clear that an error had been made, our Valuation Services department immediately contacted Westminster Title so they could begin correcting the ownership chain for the 86 erroneously transferred properties.”
Title deeds are now returned to the developers, Toll Brothers, and then reissued correctly.
The woman who mistakenly handed them over could refuse to hand them back, although there’s no evidence she did, and experts say she would almost certainly lose if the case went to court.
Toll Brothers, the developers, are expected to reclaim the titles and then redistribute them correctly
Asked about her newfound empire by The Reno Gazette, the unnamed woman responded with a smiling emoji
Burke said such problems occur “quite often,” mostly due to copy-paste errors.
“This particular case is just a little more interesting because of the number of lots involved,” added Burke.
She said people could try to legally complicate matters but it wouldn’t stand up in court.
“It’s clear to us, but we only see the recorded documents, not what the title company goes through to get a clear title,” Burke said.
“I think someone might try to make things difficult.
“However, the title company also has the offer and acceptance for the purchase on file, so the intent is pretty clear.
“I would think it would be a losing proposition in court and doubt it happens often, if ever.”