Saturday, August 5, 2017

City sold street to unsuspecting woman


From CBS 2:

The map showed a long, skinny piece of property. Sight unseen, Parnell bid $30,000 and won. She figured she’d sell pieces to adjoining homeowners, Aiello reported.

Months later, she learned what the city sold as a “vacant lot” was actually William Court, a 280 foot long street – technically a “privately owned access way.”

Parnell told Aiello she’s willing to sell it back to the city. She said in 2010 the city offered to refund her $30,000, but she declined, because on her tax bill the city lists the property as “vacant land, zoned residential,” valued at $257,000.

“I would like the City of New York to pay me back the value of what the land is worth,” she said. “Not what they sold me for.”

On Friday, a city spokesperson told CBS2 “the city has made numerous attempts to offer her a full refund… she refused.” Even though the city values the property at $257,000, paying Parnell that much “was not an appropriate use of taxpayer money.”

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't feel bad for this woman one bit. If you are going to buy something, especially something like property you should know what you are buying. Yes the city listed it as residential incorrectly. The city acknowledges it and is offering her a full refund of her money, which I think is fair.

This woman is just trying a get rich quick scheme from the city with our tax dollars. If its such a nightmare for her than get your refund and go on your way. It's not like she spent any real money maintaining the street or building anything.

If the street is privately owned then the city should stop paving and maintaining it. This woman should be responsible for that if she is the owner.

Anonymous said...

Saw this story on the tube and immediately loved it. She should fence off the property and put the Cities balls to the wall. Let the City pay the tax bill value and deduct it from the pay of the genius who listed this property in the first place. Perfect example of the incompetence that is NYC Government.

Anonymous said...

Payback for someone who thought they put one over on NYC for a "bargain" and got "lumbered" good!

Anonymous said...

The onus was upon city government hacks to get this right, not the buyer. The fair market value of William Court is listed as $257,000 and that is exactly what the city is obligated to pay Parnell if they want back the land.

Just another glaring example of what passes for competence at City Hall, where seller's remorse doesn't apply, because the city was wholly aware of what the property actually was, and if they weren't, then it's not the buyer's fault when she relied on the express representations of all city government illustrations and advertising, for which Ms. Parnell's bid was accepted, and hence, a binding contract was born.

Stay focused, Ms. Parnell and DON'T BACK DOWN!

ron s said...

Incompetent city official and mindless greedy owner. Just gotta love this place...

Anonymous said...

The onus was upon city government hacks to get this right, not the buyer. The fair market value of William Court is listed as $257,000 and that is exactly what the city is obligated to pay Parnell if they want back the land.

Just another glaring example of what passes for competence at City Hall, where seller's remorse doesn't apply, because the city was wholly aware of what the property actually was, and if they weren't, then it's not the buyer's fault when she relied on the express representations of all city government illustrations and advertising, for which Ms. Parnell's bid was accepted, and hence, a binding contract was born.

Stay focused, Ms. Parnell and DON'T BACK DOWN!

Anonymous said...

Why not adopt the street....LOL!
"Ms. Parnell Way".
You are stuck with it! Serves you right, greedy one!

Anonymous said...

Although incompetence on the City's part, they're under no obligation to pay her full market value. They should settle, reimbursing her what she paid for the parcel and any expenses she's accrued to date. If she purchased the parcel in her own name and isn't carrying insurance, anyone who gets injured on the property can sue and attach the judgement to her personal assets (house,bank accounts, etc). Get rid of the parcel lady, and do your homework next time you buy property from the City.

Anonymous said...

I don't get the comments here who say she is greedy.

She bid 30k and got it. Does she has to pay anything else like taxes or whatever? If not, then keep the street, and name it whatever she likes if she wants to keep the street since after all, a street is a land that you can still do whatever you want with it. If she doesn't want to keep the street due to additional costs and she has no other buyer then it make sense that she should get the refund back.

NOW if the city WANTS IT BACK, then they should pay for whatever it is worth. Then I call it smart woman.

Anonymous said...

If the parcel has a tax assessment then taxes must be paid on it I would think.

Is she paying the tax on the assessed value?

Sloppy reporting, just a 'gotcha' for the city.

I don't feel sorry for her, she may do very well, but her plan to buy this and sell pieces of it to the bordering homeowners? Not for cost I would think.

She thinks she's Donald Trump!

Let her keep it and pay the taxes!

Anonymous said...

What happened to eminent domain?

The city can just take it.

Anonymous said...

Greed , ALSO KNOWN AS MAKING A QUICK BUCK WITHOUT WORK, has caught many a gambler by the short hairs thinking they could get over on the house dealer.
She should have looked EXTREMELY carefully before she leaped.
Buyer beware. Take the loss like a man!

Gary W said...

30 grand, 257 grand, close enough for government work!

(sarc) said...

I would install a toll booth...

Anonymous said...

It's zoned residential? Build something on it. Then rent it on AirBnB!

Matthew said...

This looks similar to what is happening in CA. http://jalopnik.com/rich-bay-area-residents-pissed-after-two-genius-investo-1797602238