I suspect there is no shortage of people looking for a 'teardown site' at bargain prices, either. Maybe even some relatives of the folks who did the shoddy and incomplete work, or the ones complaining or levying fines...
You are right about that. And the town seems to be filled with greedy, aggressive people.
It is unbelievable what my daughter had to go through at closing when she sold her house, which was in very good shape with a newly remodeled kitchen and basement.
The buyers and their realtor complained about everything at closing and wanted money on the table for each little thing. For instance, the previous owner had built shelves into the 1/2 of the basement that was used as workshop and installed some old kitchen cabinets there for storage. He'd also left a large desk that was used as a workbench.
The buyers said not a word prior to closing but demanded several thousand dollars at closing to remove the shelving and the workbench. If they'd said anything previously, my daughter's movers would have taken out the workbench and discarded it. But, my daughter had to come up with cash to have someone else do it after they were alreadly out of the house.
Their inspector found a mouse dropping in the basement and demanded cash to hire an exterminator!
None of the changes that my daughter had to pay for at closing have been made to this day (new roof, etc.) but dozens of other "beautifying" changes have been made, which is what the buyers wanted all along.
However, none of the neighbors like these new people, so it is doubtful that they will be invited to neighborhood parties like my daughter always was.
On the other end, the sellers of the house she bought in NY took items that were supposed to have been left and left things that were supposed to have gone to the husband (divorce). My daughter called him up and told him to come get his tools that the ex-wife had hidden. He was most grateful.