He thought he snagged a villa for $9,100. He got a foot-wide strip of land.

In the March auction, he paid $6,100 for a vacant Lauderhill parcel that he saw as having development potential. But the land he bought was for one of 30 condo units that used to be on the property. Rutherford said the building was demolished after a fire nine years ago. If the association ever sells the property, he could see some return, but he has no control over that.