Big mistakes can happen anywhere, even on a large construction project.

So, imagine owning farmland and discovering that a major hotel chain accidentally started building right on your property.

Would you immediately put a stop to it?

Or would you wait for the perfect moment?

In the following story, one farmer takes full advantage of a massive oversight, and let’s just say it pays off.

Here’s what happened.

This land is my land, that land is your land…..

Back in the early to mid-90s, a rural area was quickly swallowed up by urban sprawl.

A new large-name brand hotel was being built next to a farm owned by my contact’s friend.

The farmer continued working his land as this hotel progressed at a rapid pace.

Now, as I was told one day the farmer walked up to edge of the site and started a conversation with the Foreman.

The farmer says to the foreman, “That is a nice hotel you are building me”.

Here’s where he pointed out the error.

The foreman looks at the farmer, puzzled, and says that the hotel belongs to such a hotel chain.

The farmer tells the foreman, “Nope, it is mine; you are on my land.”

It turns out the survey crew messed up, and they were indeed on his land.

The farmer waited until they were far enough along that they had to either eat the cost of tearing it down or pay him whatever he was asking for that piece of his field.

They paid him.

The surveying company must’ve been in big trouble.

Let’s see what the folks over at Reddit have to say about this story.

He sure did!

Well, it’s a good thing they didn’t.

Here’s another example of how survey crews can make mistakes.

This wouldn’t have been a bad deal.

What a smart man!

It sounds like he knew just when to confront them – not too early, not too late.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.