Now imagine that you turned up to move in, all excited about starting renovations on your ridiculously cheap new home, only to find that it had been accidentally demolished as a fire hazard.
Yeah, the word fuck really doesn't seem obscene enough to express something like this.
It sounds almost impossible. How on earth could something like that even happen? But it did to a Detroit couple who bought a gorgeous old house at a tax sale and planned to pump a few thousand into it for renovations.
God, they must have been so excited to get the place for so little, I really can't blame them for being so pissed off now. They got the jackpot that every home buyer out there is looking for ... a genuinely amazing deal! It must have been heartbreaking to drive up to that place and see a plot full of rubble.
The city admitted that they'd screwed up, and they even gave the couple the pick of other places they had on their sale list, but the couple didn't want any of them. They weren't the beautiful old house that they wanted, so they said no. I don't blame them one bit.
Besides, I imagine that it must be in a pretty crappy neighbourhood to have only gone for half a grand, so I can totally understand why they wouldn't want to settle for some rat trap the city was willing to hand over. It's one thing to live in the best house on the worst street, but it's another altogether to willingly move into a crappy house just because it's cheap.
So on behalf of all the not wealthy people out there who dream of finding a deal like this for ourselves, we're sorry for your loss. But but even so ... five hundred bucks for a house? Damn!
*****
Oh, and for those of you who are interested, I was lucky enough to get Spotlighted over at Gossip_Grl's blog! How awesome is that?
Thanks honey, both for the review, and for showing me that article about the bordello themed hospital rooms!
I would be livid. I got my house for $105,000 and I feel like I got it for 500 bucks. In California finding a home under 100,000 is almost unheard of. I love my cheap little old house.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good deal! Houses here were going for that back in the 90's, but now days you can't get one in my town under about $300K. Perahps an apartment for $250K, but that's about it.
DeleteAs one who lives just outside of Detroit, the amazing part of that story is not that it was a mistake that they demolished that house, but that they actually demolished it! Dol you know how many burned out homes there are in Detroit? It is highly ironic that of the thousands of homes that need demolishing, they picked one that someone was actually going to fix up. I bet it had a dead body in the basement someone in the city was trying to cover up :)
ReplyDeleteI used to live near Detroit and I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. You can still buy a beautiful historical home there for pennies on the dollar. It's such a shame that the economy, crime, and corruption have deteriorated what should be an extraordinary city. Very sad.
DeleteAnd I'm thinking you're probably right about the body.;)
LOL! I hadn't thought of that! Maybe it was all a big cover up!
DeleteOuch! That is a real shame. That was a crazy story that 12 houses got "accidentally" demolished. What kind of idiot is working in whatever department that levels houses in Detroit?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure, but I'd bet dollars to donuts he doesn't work there anymore.
DeleteThe flip side to that....I know a guy who went on vacation for 2 weeks and came back to find a swimming pool in this back yard. Seems the pool company had the wrong address.
ReplyDeleteS
Oh wow! Now that's like winning the lottery or something! Did he get to keep the pool?
DeleteExpect anything from the powers that be in Detroit but this is still rather crazy.
ReplyDeleteIt must be heartbreaking for them. They're always going to remember the house that got away.
DeleteThis poor couple will fantasize about this old house for the rest of their lives as the house that got away. Such a shame.
ReplyDeleteI can just picture it. Arms outstretched, saying "We once bought a house that was THIS big..."!
DeleteNo doubt. I know I'd lose sleep over it.
DeleteThat's horrible! What a huge mistake!
ReplyDeleteI expect someone lost their job over it.
DeleteMy heart goes out to them because I know I would be beside myself. I hope they find their dream home soon.
ReplyDeleteSo close, but yet so far. Poor buggers.
DeleteThey won't believe it, but they should count their lucky stars that they didn't get it. I'd bet $500 that they would need a whole lot more than $8000 to fix it up.
ReplyDeleteYou're probably right. Renovations never cost what they tell you at the start. But even if it doubled, it's still $16K for a house.
DeleteWow! Interesting story! I would be pretty upset as well. Thanks for the follow! I've returned it and look forward to reading more!
ReplyDeleteWelcome!
DeleteOh.my.gosh! Sad thing is, I heard of similar things happening.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of anything like it before, but I suppose I can see how the mistake was made.
DeleteThey should just consider themselves lucky that it didn't get demolished after they moved in.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Good point. I suppose it's better than a wrecking ball through the kitchen while you're having breakfast!
DeleteI... Like... Almost have enough saved to buy a house in Detroit!! Score?
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Valerie
I think I might have enough for a couple of them! Maybe I should become a slum lord, buy up some ridiculously cheap places in Detroit and rent them out to disreputable sorts!
DeleteDemolished!?! That's horri...Wait, $500? The insurance should triple that, no? The curious part is that they turned down the offer. How much worse could those other houses have been?
ReplyDeleteFor $500 bucks, I can't imagine they were offered the pick of the litter.
DeleteSuch a sad story. However I have to agree with in the coop. As one who lives in Detroit, I 've heard mucho horror stories about homes being cleaned out. I'm talking stealing the furnace, stairways, sinks, bathroom fixtures. If it's not nailed down, the thieves just might, and very often do steal it. The irony is that one if the concerns in the city is the number of abandoned, and/or fire damaged or simply damaged homes that need to be demolished for safety's sake! And they tear down the wrong one! City government at its best!
ReplyDeleteIt is ironic that the one house that might actually have been fixed up to a decent standard was the one they knocked down!
DeleteGreat story but I would never have that kind of luck. I was really surprised to read it didn't happen in my town since they've appointed a Litter Control Authority who can drive by a structure and for any reason they wish, slap a condemned sticker on a door and once the sticker is there it has to be torn down. I'm a couple days late, but wanted to say thanks for dropping by my blog to talk about Bordello hospitals! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for having me! It was lots of fun!
DeleteI feel so sorry for that couple - can't imagine how disappointed and pissed off they were.
ReplyDeleteI know I would be! Hell I'd make sure everyone in a ten mile radius knew just how pissed off I was!
DeleteThat is insane!!! how does that even happen?!
ReplyDeleteIncompetence and miscommunication ... a diabolical combination.
Delete