Well done!

I believe there isn't enough information in your post to come to an informed non-attorney's opinion as to who might be legally responsible, but it sounds like the buyer certainly didn't take enough interest in making sure he got what he bargained for. 

Someone like that would probably know.

But the renovations (which included a second story and a new roof) triggered a full reassessment of their home’s value, from $650K to over $4.4M based on surrounding sales, not the cost of construction.Here’s what made it worse:A neighboring property sold for $4.9M—all cash—right before their reassessment.All-cash buyers have flooded the market in their ZIP code (62% of transactions in 2023), driving up comps and pushing appraisals higher.Even though they appealed, the county cited Florida law: substantial improvements = new construction = full market reassessment.This isn’t just a sob story, it’s a wake-up call for investors and homeowners.Key Takeaways:Renovations can backfire if you're not careful with how improvements affect property tax laws in your state.All-cash buyers can unintentionally raise your comps—and your tax burden—overnight.Don’t assume local protections will stay in place if you “work around” them—confirm everything in writing before starting.Talk to local appraisers, attorneys, and tax consultants before making major changes to homesteaded or long-held properties.This couple now faces losing the home they’ve loved for over 20 years—not because they overleveraged, but because the system wasn’t built for people trying to stay put.Would love to hear from others:Have you seen property tax surprises like this?

What would make this worth it for you to sell to someone like me?”

I also have student debt I would like to pay off by either lowering my cost of living by house hacking and eventually putting cash flow towards my debt.

The house was built in 1930s so pretty old but has no water leaks or anything like that in the basement.

Wildlife Rescue seem like they’re doing a good job so far.

Many lenders tend to walk away from smaller loan amounts (typically under $75K) because the margins don’t justify the underwriting and processing costs.I talk to many DSCR lenders and some might consider it, but realistically, if you're looking in markets like Cleveland, you’re better off targeting higher purchase prices.

We've also seen many owners with older homes like 20+ years not understand this and think their 4/3 2300sqft home that's 35 years old is worth $2500-2600.