FORT LAUDERDALE — Hani Levy and her husband are living a cautionary tale called Buyer Beware.
The couple paid $350,000 for a vacant lot in Fort Lauderdale in September 2023, hoping to build three two-story houses on the half-acre parcel around the corner from their home.
But the narrow road that leads to the lot in Fort Lauderdale’s quiet Chula Vista neighborhood is not a public street. And without access to a public street, city officials say the land can’t be developed.
The couple attempted to rescind the sale, but was rebuffed. They have since been scrambling to find a way to fix the problem.
The only road leading to the landlocked lot at 2950 SW 17th Place belongs to the homeowners on the other side of the narrow roadway. Levy says she asked the homeowners if they could buy a section of the road so they’d have access to their lot, but they said no.
In February, Levy and her husband filed a lawsuit against the seller and real estate agent, accusing them of failing to disclose the lack of public access.