Sister gives up inherited land to brother, then demands to have it back after property values skyrocket: 'Now that it’s valuable, they want it back'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Mar 3, 2025 2:00 PM EST

When there's a will, there's an argument. There is nothing like a family will to unearth years of resentment and drama within the sibling dynamic. This is why all decent and generous parents should consider ahead of time that their children might not be civil after they're gone. In fact, their absence might only embolden the greediest folks in the family to reveal their true selves.

Keep scrolling below for this father's unfortunate falling out with his sister seven years after he thought their parents' inheritance had been fully handled.

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    "Family drama over land" N
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  • This author watched their father have an intense falling out with his sister after she practically begged her brother to take her portion of their parents' land seven years ago. However, her feelings about the land suddenly changed when she learned that property values have since skyrocketed. Unfortunately for the father, now, his sister wanted the land back. To make matters even worse, she enlisted the support of some of their other siblings to try to convince their brother to change his mind. Luckily, this man had some spine and refused to cave.

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    My grandfather had written a will distributing land among his kids. My dad is the 5th child (he has 6 sisters and 1 brother). Around 20 years ago, there was some discussion and at the time, one of
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    his sisters wasn't interested in her share because the land was uneven and had pits, making it less valuable. She even said she had no need for it and offered it to anyone who wanted it.
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    Since all the sisters were married and living far away, and my dad was the eldest son, they all insisted that he take it. He refused at first, but after repeated requests, he agreed. A
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    couple of years later, during this sister's daughters' weddings, my dad went out of his way to help them financially-gave cash, gifted jewelry, and ensured they didn't struggle.
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    Fast forward about 7 years from the agreement, and suddenly, the same sister came back demanding the land back because property values in the area skyrocketed. My dad
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    refused, reminding her that she willingly gave it up, and they had practically begged him to take it. This led to heated arguments, and surprisingly, some of the other sisters took her side.
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    It's frustrating because my dad did everything in good faith, and now they're trying to rewrite history. The land was practically worthless when they didn't want it, but now that it's valuable, they want it back. Did my father do the right thing?
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    beek_r 4h ago . Your father did the right thing, and needs to stand up to his sisters. Find any paperwork that proves the land is his, including taxes and improvements he's made to it, in case they decide to take him to court.
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    Just because a money grubbing sister says it's hers, that doesn't actually mean it's true. And, if he decides to sell it, that money
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    should stay with him. Best case, he could gift back the value of the land at the time he took possession of it.
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    Ahjumawi 3h ago . Your father did the right thing and is NTA. Moreover, when they come at him saying he is putting money over family, remind them that *they* are the ones changing their position and putting money over family, not him.
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    Angelblade92 · 4h ago It depends, did they legally sign it over to your father in its entirety?
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    TerrorAlpaca • 3h ago . yes your dad did the right thing. But he really needs to talk to a property lawyer just to make sure everything is legal.
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    Does he have it in writing that no one wanted the property and that it was given to him? If he doesn't, he has to try. to get his family talking in a groupchat so it is somewhere in writing that it was gifted to him.
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    What he should NOT do, is tell anyone that he'll get legal advice. So, for example, he could text them in a grouptext.
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    "So, question for all of you. Why did ya'll push me to take the property when none of you wanted it? Sister, you gave it to me saying "What would i want with that property? Take it. its yours ||
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    [or whatever she said] You didn't want to sell it because it wasn't worth anything so i took the gift you pretty much forced on me. And did you forget how i much i gifted back as a thanks? the
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    cash gift, jewelery and other financial contributions during Nieces wedding? You conveniently forgot that, right?" Something like that, but maybe smarter.
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    Get them talking and admitting that it was a gift and that in return they took financial contributions.
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    While its probably not legally binding, a smart lawyer could probably use it to poke holes in any ownership claim of your sisters.
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    obviously, if you have it in writing that the property is now his, then its all moot and he can just go talk to a lawyer now.
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family drama inheritance aita AITAH brother family feud entitled people karma family sister property entitled people Father
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