Woman accidentally buys 85 homes instead of one because of a typo

Buying a house is a tough ask for most people in 2022, but one woman managed to accidentally buy 85 instead of one recently because of a simple typo.

The unnamed buyer invested $594,481 (£491,047.25) on a house in Sparks, found northeast of Reno in Nevada.

Due to an error in the paperwork which was filed with the assessor in Washoe County, she technically received a lot more than she bargained for.

In fact, she discovered she was the owner of an extra 84 homes and two common spaces after the bizarre turn of events.

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It meant that the properties she now owned were actually worth closer to $50 million (£40,865,550.00) than they were to the $594,481 she put down.

As The Reno Gazette-Journal reports, Cori Burke, who is the chief deputy assessor for Washoe County, believed the issue lay with Westminster Title in Las Vegas.

The woman ended up with an extra 84 homes and two common spacesToll Brothers

Burke said: "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.

"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."

Burke also said that the mistake was more common than many would think, and that a case brought against the title company would be a ‘loser in court’.

She said: "This particular case is just a little more interesting because of the number of lots involved. 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 continued: "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 the intent is pretty clear."