Sydney homeowners shocked after purchased property much smaller than they paid for

Homeowners left shocked after discovering they had purchased a home much smaller than they paid for

  • One couple paid $599,000 for 588 square feet
  • Property was actually 452sqm
  • Missing 136sqm worth $100,000

A couple is stunned after buying a piece of land only to discover it was considerably smaller than advertised.

Melissa and Bryan bought a 588 square meter plot of land in the Byron Park Estate in Tahmoor, south-west Sydney, for $599,000.

They then came to the lot only to discover that it was actually 452 square feet after measuring it themselves.

Melissa and Bryan bought a 588 square meter piece of land that turned out to be only 452 square meters after measuring themselves

The missing 136 square meters came as a surprise to the couple, who had been planning their dream home that they say doesn’t fit on the current lot.

The couple has since been released from their contract with their property developer.

The sale is now being investigated by NSW Fair Trading, A current situation reported.

The 136 square feet missing from the lot “easily” equates to $100,000 worth of land that was paid for in the original deal, according to the couple.

“Probably more than that,” Melissa said.

“You put all your trust in those people,” Bryan added. “How hard is it to measure a piece of land, it’s basically a big square, isn’t it?”

Survey measurement variations are allowed with a five percent leeway from the original design, with anything larger than that qualifying the buyers for an immediate refund.

The missing 136 square meters came as a surprise to the couple, who had been planning their dream home which they say doesn't fit the reduced plot

The missing 136 square meters came as a surprise to the couple, who had been planning their dream home which they say doesn’t fit the reduced plot

The 23 percent difference between Bryan and Melissa’s original design and the actual lot was about the size of a three-bedroom home.

The actual size of the lot was finally realized when Melissa and Bryan hired a surveyor themselves to measure it.

After noticing the size difference, Melissa and Bryan reportedly tried to contact the parties involved in the sale, but received no response before lawyers got involved.