State wants swampland off market

Swampland is still for sale in Florida. In fact, it is the same swampland that was sold more than 40 years ago.

[Fairplay]

Many people sit around drinking next to the computor nowadays and end up victums . Be careful if it sounds to good to be true it is . There has always been cheap land lost for taxes on purpose that people buy then resell . For years it was not really understood by many but the information age changes that . People would be better off spending the time to research and buy direct from goverment entities but if you do remember you have to pay taxes on the land forever . In theory you can't ever walk away if it isn't bought in a corperation another good lesson . I sujest a family that wants to learn and has kids research this , Form a corperation and buy a lot somewhere they think may develop off grid in twenty years for the fun of it and go there and camp for vacation . This is a very possible project to do for under $1000 bucks tops you can find a few acres with legal egress but go into it figureing a total loss on monies spent as entertainment and make sure you form a corperation so your protected by the corperate veil nos a s corp but a real one . This guy sold worthless land I am sure but you wont believe how hard it is to do business in Volusia County unless you have been there . I wouldn't believe for a minute the County is doing this for peoples own good in a minute . What they have done to some on roads is downright terrible now they have money for this ?

[DlANA MOORE]

Please, what do you believe the County's motivation is in Volusia? Is it difficult to conduct business in Volusia because the prevailing interest by local merchants prevents the development of upscale shopping? It is interesting that you mention forming a corporation. Thank you

[bigdaddy5]

Swampland Fraud is Back, the the name has been changed to wetland. Bradford County, Lake Hampton subdivision with nice street sold by Developer & Realtor advertising 38 years experience, Douglas Realty in Starke, Stephen F. Smith. However almost 99% of 2 acre lot consist of retricted wetlands, you cannot develope, or step on the grass? Just pay tax! Then they hide under Florida real estate law & FAR/BAR contract. The Bradford County Building & Zoning is PAID by developer to state to prospective buyers land is good and NOT a SWAMP, but that is a LIE. There is absolutely NO way the county does not know. This is outright FRAUD, corruption, collusion, & conspiracy. Unless your purchase is over $250k or 25 people complain at once the State will do NOTHING. If subdivision has less than 50 lots, developer & realtor DO NOT HAVE TO DISCLOSE ANYTHING. FLORIDA IS NOW ALLOWING SWAMPLAND REAL ESTATE FRAUD. PLEASE WRITE BILL McCULLUM TO COMPLAIN!

[Islandforsale]

Swampland has lots of value and it can be filled in if you have the money to do so! Just ask the St Johns Water management district.

[fllandscamvictim s]

Realtor files Frivolous Lawsuit against Customers for Revenge!
‘Black Eye’ to Real Estate Professionals Nationwide!
Starke Florida – An old scam with a new twist is back, when you can purchased almost 2 acres of land from unscrupulous developers & realtors to build your dream home, and you will NEVER be able to build anything! Unlike the olden days of selling swamp that could be developed in some cases, scammers nowadays sell fancy waterfront subdivisions with paved roads that are up to 99%-restricted government land that is not disclosed to the buyer being sold and illegal. What is it? It’s called a Government Restricted State Jurisdictional Wetland, and it is “land that is protected by the government for the bugs, bushes, and animals”, you cannot step foot on it, or row across it in your canoe when it rains. Buyers have no more rights to their property any other person driving down the street looking out their car window would have. The sales take place in the dry season and the land is illegally cleared & not permitted prior to the sale and no one suspects a thing. In the wet season it is a swamp, but the big difference here is if you buy this type of land, you’ll be restricted from your own property!
Prior to buying these worthless properties, buyers can thoroughly research them with the local courthouse, property appraiser, building officials, zoning directors, and everyone will state they are “good property”, a “good deal”’ and “they would buy it themselves”, etc. which is obviously not true. Background checks on developer/realtor are clean? After moving and wasting over one hundred thousand dollars, victims are told “That’s Life” and “You Shouldn’t Listen To What People Tell You or What You Hear Them Say”? These are from people who drive around town with signs on their vehicle telling everyone to read the Bible?
You would think in the United States of America there would be laws against swindles like this and there are, plenty of them, both State and Federal. However, just like other laws in this country, NOTHING IS ENFORCED. This is why most people just quietly put up a “For Sale” sign on their bogus land instead of complaining.
Starke a small town outside of a big city; everyone knows everyone else and most people are related to each other either by blood or marriage. When regulatory agencies have attempted to prosecute these con artists in the past, the proper jurisdiction is the local county courthouse. The judge is elected into power through connections with the church, has little legal experience, and the defendants are wealthy and well-known individuals, and they won’t prosecute one their own.
So what happened to the civil court case you ask? The defendants sold the buyers under the guise of a home-site; a subdivision drainage easement/government restricted state-protected jurisdictional wetland that legally must be owned by the homeowners association. Sale violated numerous State and Federal disclosure laws, and you are not able to develop the land, you can’t even make a campsite!
The judge closed his eyes & ears, to the facts, and ignored the law???(Friend of the defendants) AND, the victims are being put on trial for 4-days, 6 months from now, for the Slandering, Defamation of Character, and Libel of the “Developers & Realtor who scammed them”!!! All because they were not happy about getting ripped-off by an unethical, immoral, and illegal miscarriage of justice & power, and complained, but nobody listened.
Southern Justice Bradford County style, Florida USA!
Thank you developers: Stephen F. Smith, Edith Ellen Smith, Wayne E. Douglas Sr. and Douglas Realty in Starke, FL for making this nightmare possible. If you would like to buy some government restricted jurisdictional wetland, which you will NOT be allowed to trespass on your own property, call Stephen, Edith or Wayne, and visit Edith Ellen Estates in Hampton Lake, Florida for your own personalized experience and misrepresentation.

[happy owner]

For those of you who read this garbage this man is writing, there is not a single lot out there that cannot have at LEAST a 1600 sqft house built legally with still enough room to provide for the septic tank. We own a lot in that subdivision and know both Wayne & Stephen to be very upstanding, honest men. I was well advised on my $100,000 lot of where I could build and not build and also as recommended by them contact Suwannee River Water Management District and talked to them about what I could clear etc... If these men were so dishonest and trying to cheap people out of money why is it that the only lot owner that claims to have been scammed was the one who bought a $35,000 lot as opposed to all of us who have bought much much more expensive lots. Stephen and Wayne are both upstanding citizens and wonderful Christian men. If I had the money I would love to purchase more of these wonderful lots. You are not able to clear down to the lake to see it from your house but you can build a dock and it is beautiful. This man just decided that he wanted to try and swindle Stephen & Wayne out of their money and then some from what I have been reading on the web. I feel sorry for him that he doesn't have enough decency to just admit that he has been spreading lies and just decided he no longer wanted the lot he bought in the first place. The subdivision is absolutely beautiful and I could really see myself living there for the rest of my life. Well, once I finish my house that is.

[close call]

I know exactly where this is.My husband and i almost bought a lot here after my officemate bought a larger lot and encouraged us to to go look.Good thing we did not because my friend found out through her contractor that most of her lot belonged to the state,could not touch it or build on it.Her realtor never told her anything.She was shocked, could not believe it,felt like a fool.I cannot believe the realtor's board lets this happen.My friend's lot now is smaller than where she lives in Gainesville.Now she's up the creek with no paddle.

[fllandscamvictim s]

To happy owner

Developer Smith is a Con-Artist who steals people’s money, THEN HIDES behind Jesus!!! THAT is sacrilegious!!!!! You cannot fool the LORD. See article below.

The restrictions were not disclosed to the buyers which is ILLEGAL.

The maximum area that can be developed excluding water bodies, wetlands, and easements, AS PER SURVEY posted at the lot from a licensed surveyor, and lot is marked is less than 10% OF THE minimum REQUIREMENT as per the Florida LAW. Ooops!(developer should hire a competent attorney or go to school and get a education to learn how to read)

Buyers were emphatically told the entire lot could be cleared without restrictions.(see transcripts)

The lot was sold without being permitted as a home-site, which is illegal and cannot EVER be permitted otherwise as per Bradford County. Florida law strictly regulates these requirements!(see myflorida.com )

Please READ survey if you do not understand which is posted at lot and measure yourself or listen to newscasters who are covering this story Nationally!!! YOUR Daddy is a thief who going to jail soon. Please refer to “Man Charged With Grand Theft, Fraud For Allegedly Selling Swampland” We hope it was worth it, daddy’s GUILTY of a FELONY and will be living at FSP. The OJ Dream Team OR A CORRUPT judge (???) cannot help you.! We gave you EVERY CHANCE to repent! Now you pay!!! Sorry!
PS better eat good now, daddy will have plenty of time to read his bible later.

All statements based on FACT, as per government records!

[fjm]

So 3 swamp sellers pass off land to people that’s restricted by the government in a brand new subdivision? Wow! Why aren’t these con men in locked up somewhere? I bet the sales pitch was everything one could want to hear or who would ever give money for that. Then they sue buyers for harming their character? What character? How can you get any lower than what they already did themselves! That judge needs his head examined or he must be in on it too. Hope you have a good lawyer and put these creeps away for good.

[diane]

These scammers should be in JAIL NOW!!! not tomorrow.They think they can get away because they got money and power???? this is illegal very unfair!!
This is unheard off, happening in U.S.A???? wow!

[john myers]

ARE YOU SERIOUS? This people are sick! Good thing i read your case because my wife and I are thinking of retiring in Florida, I guess forget about Florida.
My advise to you is don't give up, they're not going anywhere the are only going in one place in JAIL!!

Just take it easy, justice will prevail.

[cynthia ong]

I'm telling you that you have to go federal. They do not take sides and they will go after these scammers. If the state is in with these scammers and you sue them, they are just laughing at you. Report them to the Feds and let them put a stop to these people. I cannot believe that up to this point, these people are still getting away with these!!!!!

[Valerie Jurado]

I am not surprised that a situation like this recent scam continues to take place in Florida. I was there in spring of '06 while working on a campaign to unionize hospital workers in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. So from previous experience I witnessed firsthand how for-profit businesses, like hopitals were striving to rip off patients, especially their own employees. It's a shame that even the legal system cannot be of aid to innocent victims. Fraud and scam have been on the rise for years. So rather than deal with this situation on your own, try and reach the real decision makers, don't go local!

[bob minasian]

These con artist must be hiding a BIG scam that soon
be discovered.All they have to do is return your money but no they are really fighting so hard that they have to involved a lot of people.
They must be so scared now.
I bet you this is a big time case!!!
I will be spreading the word to all the people what's going on in Florida.

Don't give up!!!

[FL Swamplover]

I'm a 5th generation native Floridian and grew up on waterfront property in Jacksonville. I now live in Braford County and also own a lot in Edith Ellen Estates. Nothing about the restrictions that came with the purchase were held back by Mr. Smith or Mr. Douglas and my copy of the recorded survey clearly identifies both the jurisdictional wetlands line and the conservation easement. I have been and continue to be very familiar with Florida's tough wetlands protection efforts and unless any of you are also versed in this area, you shouldn't be taking sides on the issue as there are many MANY variables that determine wetlands delineation. There is no such thing as clearing and filling property on ANY Florida lake anymore unless you just happen to be very wealthy and can afford one of the few remaining lots that were grandfathered in before the protected wetlands and conservation easements were established. The state of Florida spent millions of dollars to identify and establish these areas to protect what little is left of the states remaining natural beauty. Call it swampland, wasteland or anything else you want to but it is unique to everyting else in the entire world. It has an unusual beauty about it with its moss draped cypress trees and abundant wildlife. The west side of Hampton Lake and more specifically, Edith Ellen Estates S/D is the last and final tract of developable land located on the lakes only remaining natural shoreline. There will never be any white sand beaches or clear cutting of virgin Cypress. Oh yes, it will cost a small fortune to build a 350' dock just to reach the water and another 100' to extend it into the lake but I look at it this way. People in general have proven that they will stop at nothing to obtain something if they want it bad enough. If the state had not obtained the right to protect this ecologically sensitive area that I will one day call my back yard, then it would only be a matter of time before one or more of my fellow lot owners destroyed it. So I don't have a problem with co-owning my land with the state because I'm at least guranteed that as long as I'm alive, I will always be able to enjoy a sliver of the unprecedented Florida that I explored as young boy and grew up with. Anyone who can't live with the restrictions can always dream or win the lottery. In fact, maybe this is a good way to get people to stop moving here and then perhaps the few remaining native Floridians might be able to sleep at night.