Nevada homebuyer buys NEIGHBORHOOD of 84 homes instead of one after administrator accidentally copied and pasted deeds worth millions onto her $600,000 receipt
- A homebuyer in Sparks, Nevada discovered to their shock that their $594,481 purchase of a house also came with 84 more properties, and two vacant lots
- The $50 million mistake was made by an administrative assistant in Las Vegas who erroneously handed over the whole neighborhood
- Several of the lots handed over to the unsuspecting buyer had already been built on and sold, which complicates the situation legally
- The buyer must now transfer the lots back to the developer, Toll Brothers, and the correct title can then be issued
A Nevada woman is now the legal owner of an entire neighborhood – after the title for her $594,481 home mistakenly included a further 84 properties worth an estimated $50 million.
The unnamed woman – who, when reached by The Reno Gazette Journal replied ‘no comment’, with a smiley face emoji – intended to buy one home in Sparks, northeast of Reno.
Yet when she filed her documents with the assessor for Washoe County, it was immediately noticed that there was a massive error, and she had an additional 84 properties and two common spaces.
The documents, noted on July 25, state that she owns ‘lots 1 through 85 … and Common Areas A and B.’
The unnamed woman thought she had purchased one home when her property titles were registered on July 25: in fact, she had 84 additional lots, and two common areas
Several of the lots she obtained already had homes built on them, complicating the legal resolution
The Toll Brothers development, 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 have been a typing error made by a Las Vegas-based firm, Westminster Title.
That meant that the woman who planned to purchase just one property ended up being given the title deeds for scores of others too – many of which have already been sold.
‘It appears Westminster Title out of Las Vegas may have copied and pasted a legal description from another Toll Brothers transfer when preparing (the homebuyer’s) deed for recordation,’ she said.
‘Because it was pretty clear a mistake was made, our assessment services division reached out to Westminster Title right away so they could begin working on correcting the chain of title for the 86 properties transferred in error.’
The ownership titles will now be transferred back to the developers, Toll Brothers, and then reissued correctly.
The woman handed them mistakenly could refuse to transfer them back, although there’s no indication she’s done that, and experts say that if the case were taken to court, she’d almost certainly lose.
Toll Brothers, the developers, are expected to reclaim the titles and then correctly redistribute them
The unnamed woman, asked by The Reno Gazette about her newfound empire, replied with a smiling emoji
Burke said that such issues happen ‘fairly often,’ largely due to copy-and-paste mistakes.
‘This particular case is just a little more interesting because of the number of lots involved,’ Burke added.
She said people could try and make the matter complicated legally, but it would not stand up in court.
‘It is cut-and-dry for us, but we only see the recorded documents, not what the title company goes through to get clear title,’ Burke said.
‘I think someone could try to make things difficult.
‘However, the title company also has the offer and acceptance for the purchase on file so intent is pretty clear.
‘I would think it would be a loser in court and doubt it happens often, if at all.’
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