They Paid $320K For A Single Home But Were Hit With Taxes For 2 Lots And 2 Houses. Seller's Last-Minute Move Might Not Have Been So Innocent

Core Insights - A Nashville homebuyer faced unexpected property tax liabilities after purchasing a 0.18-acre property for $320,000, as the county assessed taxes on a larger 0.35-acre parcel that included two homes [1][2][3] Property Transaction Details - The seller had previously combined the lot with a neighboring home and then split it again before selling the smaller portion to the buyer, leading to confusion regarding tax liabilities [2][3] - The city assesses property taxes based on the configuration as of January 1, which resulted in the buyer being responsible for taxes on both homes despite only owning one [2][3] Title Company Accountability - Commenters on social media suggested that the closing title company should have accurately prorated the taxes and flagged the property's history [4] - There is a consensus that the closing documents should have included proper language regarding prorated taxes, which typically holds the seller accountable for the time they owned the property [7] Financial Implications - The buyer received a $1,200 credit at closing for 2025 taxes, but estimates that the seller should have credited closer to $2,388 based on the total tax bill of $2,985 [6] - The seller, being an investment company, was exempt from certain disclosure rules, complicating the buyer's situation [7]