He paid USD 9,100 to own villa, but turned out to be strip of grass

Florida: Thinking of notching a mega deal by paying USD 9,100 (approximately Rs 6.3 lakh) for a villa in Tamarac, Florida man ended up owing a strip of grass.

During an online Broward auction of properties, Kerville Holness thought he has snagged a great deal by purchasing a USD 177,000 Tamarac villa for only USD 9,100.

However, later it was established that he has overpaid as he got 1-foot-wide, 100-foot-long strip of land on Northwest 100th Way — valued at USD 50 (approximately Rs. 3,500).

The strip of land starts from the curb where two mailboxes have been installed and go under the wall separating the garages of two adjoining Spring Lake villas.

Holness later sought the refund, but Florida officials now say he is stuck with the deal.

Speaking to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Holness said that he feels like he is being robbed as the property appraiser pictures were misleading.

"It's deception," he said. "There was no demarcation to show you it's just a line going through [the villa duplex], even though they have the tools to show that."

The country officials and real estate experts have warned the auction participant and asked them to do their homework properly.

“He may go to court and find some error in the sale procedure,” said Gary Singer, a real estate attorney who writes a weekly column for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Generally speaking, he bought what he was supposed to have bought.”