A Property Buyer Finds His New Home Trashed, Asks For Advice—'Seller Was Pissed About My Lowball Offer And Vandalized My Property'

Buying a house can be an exciting milestone, but as one Reddit user recently learned, it can also come with unexpected drama. In a post on r/RealEstate, a new homeowner shared how the seller, who was "pissed" after accepting a lowball offer, retaliated by vandalizing the property after closing. "The seller got unprofessional in the end and left a metric f**k ton of trash at the property," the buyer wrote, noting that the mess had to be removed after the closing date, making it an even bigger hassle.

If there's one takeaway from this story, it's this: always change the locks the moment the deal is done.

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A Deal That Left the Seller Bitter

The buyer explained that the seller was trying to flip the house but ran into financial trouble before finishing renovations. After the property sat on the market for 30 days with no buyers, the Redditor made a low offer. The seller took it, but the buyer managed to negotiate an even better deal through contingencies.

That's when things took a turn.

The Mistake

To prevent further issues, the new owner locked up the property. However, they later discovered the seller still had a set of keys and used them to enter the home. What did he do? According to the post, he “took everything” and cut a huge hole in the drywall of the basement.

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Many Reddit users chimed in with advice, and the overwhelming consensus was to file a police report.

"You should put in a police report, absolutely," one commenter said. "Then change all the locks like you ought to have done on closing day!" Another one agreed, "Changing the locks is always the first thing you do."

Some also pointed out that while the damage was frustrating, proving it was the seller could be difficult unless there was security footage.

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Lessons Learned

This story serves as a cautionary tale for homebuyers. The moment you close on a property, changing the locks should be at the top of your to-do list.

Rekeying is a quick and affordable solution. You don't necessarily need to replace the entire lock—just have it rekeyed to ensure old keys no longer work. Garage door codes should also be updated since sellers could still have remote access if you don't reset the system. Installing security cameras can add an extra layer of protection, and even a simple doorbell camera could help deter any funny business.

As for the Redditor, they've learned their lesson. "I will be doing this immediately on my next property. Wowza, did not know people act like buffoons," they wrote.

For anyone buying a home, take this as a reminder. Don't assume the previous owner won't come back. Change the locks immediately and avoid unnecessary headaches.

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