A Colorado home under foreclosure has gone viral after the listing revealed a bizarre requirement: Prospective buyers must purchase it completely sight-unseen, current occupant included.
Located at 408 Garfield Ave. in Nunn, CO, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house is listed for sale for $215,280.
The home’s occupant, a widow, has lived there for 20 years since her husband died and a mortgage failed to transfer properly, listing agent Rob Kittle of Kittle Real Estate tells Realtor.com®. It is unclear if anyone else resides at the property.
“She’s been disputing it for 20 years and living there for free,” he says.
The widow, Tori McMechan, told local news outlet KVUE that her husband bought the home in 2006—four years before he died in a car crash.
“This is the last thing that my husband bought for me before he passed. This is where I raised my children,” she told the outlet, which obtained court records showing the fight for the property has played out across six foreclosure filings dating to 2010.
McMechan told the outlet that her last hope is to be evicted. Colorodo in 2024 implemented a law that gives evicted tenants a right to a jury trial.
Kittle, who has not been able to access the residence, pulls no punches in the listing description.
“The property is being sold occupied/sight–unseen/no access. DO NOT DISTURB THE OCCUPANTS. NO SHOWINGS and NO PROPERTY ACCESS for inspections or otherwise. NO TRESPASSING,” the description reads.
“The Listing Agent does not have access to the property, has never been inside the property, and can not speak to the condition of the property, mechanicals, appliances, or any other contents. The occupants do not pay rent,” the listing adds.
“This is not an income property sale. Buyer assumes the property in its current, unknown, as-is condition with the occupants in place. Buyer will be responsible for obtaining possession of the property upon closing,” the listing ends.
The property was originally listed in June for $234,000. The price has since dropped, now reflecting a discount of roughly 50% off market value, according to Kittle.
However, the low price means that the buyer must take on the eviction process. Kittle noted McMechan believes she is owed a settlement from the bank over how the foreclosure was originally handled.
Kittle says he recently received an offer about $10,000 below the asking price, but it was rejected by the bank’s asset manager.
“You should accept anything at all. If you could find someone who’s willing to deal with this type of occupant, you should take it,” he says.
Kittle adds that due to the potential legal headache, the property is suited strictly for real estate investors, and not for a buyer looking to move in anytime soon.
The listing went viral on social media, dividing users over whether the listing is a bargain or a money pit.
The Facebook group “Greeley! Anything still goes” shared a screenshot of the listing with a sarcastic caption: “What an amazing deal!” accompanied by a rolling-on-the-floor laughing emoji.
Commenters quickly chimed in.
“Don’t be suspicious, don’t be suspicious,” one user joked.
Another pointed out the financial hurdle.
“Sold with humans already inside. Lol you cannot get inside to verify condition so basically how would you get any financing without the inspection? So this would be a cash deal and hope for the best Great deal if that money don’t matter,” the user wrote.
Reactions on kalesalad’s Instagram post of the listing were even more colorful, with one user writing: “I know it’s actually squatters, but the description makes it sound like the house is full of angry bees.”
