This House is Not for Sale or Rent

Maybe it's just me but I'm not particularly fussed that "this house is not for sale or rent." 
A roof has always been on my list of property must-haves!

To explain this situation a little further though, I quote from the book I'm currently reading (A Culture of Corruption; Daniel Jordan Smith).  To understand the passage you first need to know that the "primary mode of illegitimate corruption in Nigeria is 419.  Named after the number in the Nigerian penal code that deals with a specific form of fraud."

"Ask any Nigerian the purpose of the message and they will quickly tell you that it is to prevent 419.  Apparently, one popular method of 419 is to assume the identity of a real estate agent or simply a property owner trying to sell one's house.  In Nigeria's cities and towns, where the real estate market is tight, buyers can be induced to make down payments to secure a later purchase, and in some cases entire transactions have been completed before the buyer discovered that the deal was a scam.  By labeling houses as "not for sale" property owners are trying to prevent themselves and their buildings from becoming embroiled in 419 cases - and in Nigeria there is always the added fear that even if your house has been sold in a scam, you might still lose it if the buyer has more money or better political connections."

I told you we might all learn a little something from my blog!