Contract in 40 minutes, out 3,100 because I never read the HOA docs

Fast is my whole thing and it cost me this time.

6.2 acres, wooded, in a platted rural subdivision from the seventies. Owner in another state, inherited it, hadn't paid attention in eleven years. I called, we talked for maybe forty minutes, agreed at 19k. Contract signed that night, 1,000 earnest, 21 day inspection.

My buyer list has two rec-land guys who buy hunting parcels in that band all day. Sent it out, got a soft yes at 27k in about six hours. Felt like the cleanest thing I'd done all year.

The subdivision had a recorded declaration with an active association. Dues had gone unpaid for eleven years and the association had filed liens. Also, and this is the part that killed it, the declaration restricted use to single family residential and specifically banned discharge of firearms. Both of my buyers wanted it to hunt.

Back taxes were fine. The lien balance with interest was around 6,800 by the title company's payoff figure. I tried to get the seller down to cover it. He'd already told two relatives he was getting 19k and wouldn't move. I tried to find a residential buyer instead and got nowhere in the window because the lot needed a well and the nearest comparable sale was ten miles off.

I let the inspection period lapse without terminating. That was the real error, not the HOA. Earnest went hard, seller kept the 1,000, and I'd already spent about 2,100 on a survey I ordered too early because I was confident.

What I'd do differently: pull the recorded plat and any declaration before I make an offer on anything inside a platted subdivision, and put a calendar alarm on the last day of inspection at noon, not the day itself.