# My cousin hasn't spoken to me since I sold him property



## debodun (Jul 31, 2020)

About 30 years ago, my mother bought a vacant 10-acre, partially wooded lot in the country form her brother. My uncle passed in 1997 and my mom in 2006. She never did anything with it and after her passing, my cousin approached me about buying it back. He wasn't going to build anything on it - he just wanted it to go deer hunting. I told him I wanted to research the value of the property. He said he'd give me what my mom paid which was $5000. When I did "comps" I found out the land was worth around $2500 and acre or $25,000 for the lot. I told this to cousin. He got really peeved and said he wouldn't pay over $7000. End of conversation? Nope. About 3 months later he called me again and offered $10,000. I refused the paltry, less than half value. He finally got a friend to go in with him on it and they bought the land for my asking price, but ever since then he hasn't spoken to me, even at family gatherings. Is he just carrying a snit too far or should I have sold him the property way below it's minimum value? I think if the situation was reversed, he'd hold out for full value.


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## Judycat (Jul 31, 2020)

Who cares you got what the property was worth and he got what he wanted. At least he won't be bothering you for anything else if he's not talking to you.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 31, 2020)

Shame on your cousin.

There is nothing set in stone that reads where family is binded to provide other family members with discounts and/or reduced asking prices on anything. Fair-market value is fair-market value. The end.


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## Autumn (Jul 31, 2020)

If anyone should be angry it's you...it sounds to me like he tried to take advantage if you, and he's angry that you were too smart and too well-informed to fall for it.

I wouldn't worry, his behavior reflects badly on hhim, not on you.


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## AprilSun (Jul 31, 2020)

Autumn said:


> If anyone should be angry it's you...it sounds to me like he tried to take advantage if you, and he's angry that you were too smart and too well-informed to fall for it.
> 
> I wouldn't worry, his behavior reflects badly on hhim, not on you.



I thought the same thing. When I first read her post, I said "He is trying to take advantage of her". He's mad because you wouldn't let him.


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## Kayelle (Jul 31, 2020)

It sounds to me that your feelings are hurt or you wouldn't have brought it up. 
Does it really matter to you that he won't speak to you? Silly man, he's doing you a favor.  
Next time you see him flash him a big smile and ask him how he's enjoying the property.  That should fix the jerk.


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## Keesha (Jul 31, 2020)

debodun said:


> About 30 years ago, my mother bought a vacant 10-acre, partially wooded lot in the country form her brother. My uncle passed in 1997 and my mom in 2006. She never did anything with it and after her passing, my cousin approached me about buying it back. He wasn't going to build anything on it - he just wanted it to go deer hunting. I told him I wanted to research the value of the property. He said he'd give me what my mom paid which was $5000. When I did "comps" I found out the land was worth around $2500 and acre or $25,000 for the lot. I told this to cousin. He got really peeved and said he wouldn't pay over $7000. End of conversation? Nope. About 3 months later he called me again and offered $10,000. I refused the paltry, less than half value. He finally got a friend to go in with him on it and they bought the land for my asking price, but ever since then he hasn't spoken to me, even at family gatherings. Is he just carrying a snit too far or should I have sold him the property way below it's minimum value? I think if the situation was reversed, he'd hold out for full value.


Haha. This guy doesn’t understand the term inflation. Thirty years ago $5,000 isn’t worth $5,000 now plus property values go up. You should be happy he’s out of your life. You don’t owe him a thing. Your mom bought it fair & square and you inherited everything and that was part of it. 
Cheeky Blighter! A phrase my parents used.


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## debodun (Aug 1, 2020)

Keesha said:


> Cheeky Blighter! A phrase my parents used.



We have a term in America, too, but I won't post it lest I be banned.


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## Keesha (Aug 1, 2020)

debodun said:


> We have a term in America, too, but I won't post it lest I be banned.


For the same reason I didn’t post mine.


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## macgeek (Aug 1, 2020)

its always a good idea to never do financial dealings of any type with family for this very reason.


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## debodun (Aug 1, 2020)

Like dating a co-worker.


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## WhatInThe (Aug 15, 2020)

Sounds like someone who pulls out the 'family' card at every opportunity. Some feel if it's 'family' they are entitled to a piece of the action no matter what. In this case the action would be a deep discount.

When it comes to money many so called family members seem to find a way/rationalization to demand more or pay less.


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## pip48 (Aug 15, 2020)

I sounds to me, like he thought the property really should belong to him in the first place, like his father shouldn't have sold it. 
He is acting like his father just pawned it to your mother, with unlimited time to retrieve it.  He could have turned around and sold it for market value and made a huge profit. He is not thinking right.


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## WhatInThe (Aug 15, 2020)

It's a 30 year old deal. I don't know contract law but even in court wouldn't that be passed the statued of limitations?

Family hold the strangest grudges or selfish grudges ie sense of entitlement. I have family who got mad at me for giving  away some of my personal stuff over a decade ago to another family member. Literally something that happened over 10 years ago in which they had no say or knowledge bugs them to this day. To top it off it was something they had ZERO interest in at that time but the other family member did. But they wanted my stuff to enhance their stuff while trying to sell it. They felt I deprived them of top dollar for their stuff.


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