WOW, Finally an accused eBay land seller will have to explain them self and answer to a lawsuit filed in Nova Scotia regarding questionable land claims, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation and negligence . I can't wait to hear this.
A story can be found on ShelburneCountyToday web site or by clicking the link included on this blog. The land sales company is known as Nova Scotia Land Sales and operates through the eBay auction market and eBay store of the same name.
Everyone with iffy land in Texas, Florida, Arizona, Oklahoma etc. should tune in.
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I am a long-time eBayer and recently have been Googling this case. I have considered raw land via the Internet and is all the more encouraging when looking at seller's positive feedback from buyers.
Just a litle bit of Google helped me stumble upon this problem.
The chronicleherald.ca recently reported the case has been filed and the defendants have 20 days to respond. It said the defendants have no desire to be represented by lawyers and can't wait to get out the facts.
Yet the seller has hired a lawyer. Does the seller have a leg to stand on?
I wonder if both parties will end up paying something, or if there's a clear win, cease/desist order, or what.
Are there really no roads to access these properties? There is a hand-drawn map on the auction listings. Everything else are crystal clear postcard pictures.
NS isn't that far from America, so there's no use hiding. However, is the land itself accessible--even exist? How do you point to something if you can't find it? Perhaps a court outcome will be clear markings, surveys, photographs with people in them.
The feedback on the eBay seller's store is 100% positive...are these buyers on top of this, waiting for the court date? Are they huddled together in a chat room somewhere ready to strike with a class-action/group suit?
Is any proven fraud out of eBay's hands?
International incident? The Pig War between British Columbia and Washington state comes to mind.
This blog is new, this spat has been going on for a while, the postings are only hours old. What gives?
-- a curious e-commerce e-speculator of e-real-estate
Many of those refered to in the news articles have been land owners for 6 months or less and much of the misleading information in the auction listings has surfaced even more recently.
It does appear that the landowners have been discussing this matter privately in a closed blog "bog or not".
When you say this spat has been going on for a while, I for one would like to read how it all began. Could you include that for me to read?
Correction: There were THREE lawsuits filed by the same folks against Carmen Blinn re: three separate properties.
As for "going on a while" (mine), I meant from my perspective, 2 months, based on ShelburneCountyToday.com mentioning the suit filed in January, 2007.
I have not seen anything else before January or beyond what I've searched online -- all interesting so far.
Meanwhile the seller maintains a 100% positive feedback. Are eBay property buyers in a slumber?
One peculiarity, or perhaps typo, from SCT.com: "According to a January 12, 2007 court filing of three separate countersuits by . . . Smiths." The term "countersuits" as applied to the Smiths would suggest the Smiths have been initially sued by the Blinns. Is there more drama not uncovered somewhere?
What I firmly see is that commerce is given a leveled playing field via eBay. Issues like this, between court dates, can be played out and leveled via other forums. That is what the Internet is all about to me, so I appreciate this blog and it looks like it has been set up just in time prior to the upcoming lawsuit from the Blinns.
eBay alone has not been totally effective in "leveling the playing field." Inexperienced or unsuspecting computer users are getting screwed.
Main curiosity is where are all the eBayers? Do they feel their eBay feedback ratings are the final say in the matter?
Attention to detail no longer important
In this day and age I guess attention to detail is not important in many professions--god forbid a seller of land should pay attention to detail. I am a long-time eBayer (that's me anonymous above) and land is one of the categories I have not participated in fully.
A seller among those I contacted last week finally replied to me. He sells lots in Utah, had a golf course mentioned and hyperlink to an irrelevant web site. Seems okay to leave in mistakes as long as people are buying up the lots. Seller said they "will be trying" to get the listing "updated."
Lot 50 in Barrington, Nova Scotia (auction 140069029363) was sold on Jan. 23, 2007, to high bidder "kclifden." kclifden left positive feedback and posted the following on March 20, 2007: "great communication, all positive so far, looking forward to seeing property."
Lot 50 in Barrington, Nova Scotia (auction 140098183977) is currently being auctioned on eBay and due to close March 28, 2007.
I suspect [A] there's a typo on the lot # (who cares about detail?); or [B] kclifden backed out of the deal.
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