Real estate disputes are sometime long and drawn out processes that end up costing considerable money. It looks as if one company in Florida that built a timeshare property might have a long battle to fight because they are unable to get the certificate of occupancy so that timeshare owners can move into the property.

The issue in this case is a widow who is refusing to sign all documents that have to do with the case, even though her property technically isn’t part of the timeshare property. The widow owns a townhouse that has been deemed uninhabitable, but the building is located in the middle of the timeshare property.

The widow’s townhouse was damaged by a contractor who was clearing property for the timeshare project. In order to get the certificate of occupancy for the timeshare, Orange County is requiring that a demolition permit is issued to the contractor due to the unpermitted work done on the widow’s property.

The widow must sign some paperwork to make this happen, but she is holding fast on her assertion that she isn’t signing anything because the principles of property rights matter in this case. This has left the developer in limbo about the fate of the already-built property.

This case is a good example of why projects must be planned and executed properly so they can avoid litigation over real estate matters. The developer decided to move ahead with plans to build this project even though the widow won’t sell her property. Now, they are having to fight legal battles to be able to make use of the property they developed.

Source: ABC News, “Widow won’t sign, and that puts timeshare giant in a bind,” Mike Schneider, Associated Press, Aug. 18, 2017