Most property deals involve at least one moment when somebody suggests a shortcut. It is usually said casually, even kindly. “We could put a lower price on the paper, save you both some tax.” “Don’t mention the crack in the back wall, it’s only cosmetic.” “I know a man at the office who can move your file faster, just give him a little something.” “Tell the bank you have been in the job longer than you have.”
None of these feel like grand crimes in the moment. They feel like how things are done. And that is precisely what makes them dangerous.
Who may stand in the holy place?
Psalm 24 asks a question worth hearing in any lawyer’s office or bank waiting room: “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?” The answer, in the New King James wording, is: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:3–4).
Clean hands describe what we do. A pure heart describes why we do it. And “nor sworn deceitfully” is remarkably specific. It points to the moment of making a declaration, signing a statement, giving your word. Property transactions are full of such moments. Declarations of price. Disclosures about defects. Statements of income. Signatures witnessed and stamped.
Where the pressure comes
The price on the paper
Understating the sale price on an agreement to reduce taxes and duties can seem like a victimless arrangement between buyer and seller. It is not. It is a false declaration to the authorities, it may be unlawful, and it can leave both parties exposed. The seller may later face questions about where the rest of the money came from; the buyer may have a lower recorded purchase price that causes problems when they sell. An attorney-at-law will tell you the proper figures to declare, and a good one will refuse to take part in anything else.
What the seller knows
Every house has its history: the corner that floods, the neighbour dispute over the boundary, the extension that was never approved, the termites treated but not gone. Sellers are tempted to paint over it and say nothing. But a buyer who discovers the truth later will feel cheated, and in some cases may have legal remedies. Proverbs puts it simply: dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight (Proverbs 11:1). Telling a buyer what you know is a just weight.
The loan application
Inflating income or hiding debts to qualify for a bigger mortgage can seem harmless when you are sure you will manage. But lenders set limits partly to protect borrowers. A loan obtained on false information can be withdrawn, and a household stretched beyond its real means can end up losing the very home it lied to get.
The little something
Where offices are slow, it is tempting to pay someone to move a file along. Scripture is consistent that a bribe blinds the eyes and perverts justice (Exodus 23:8). Beyond the risk, every payment makes the system worse for the next family, who may not have the money to pay.
The cost of clean hands
Honesty is not always free. Declaring the real price means paying the full duty. Disclosing the leaking roof may mean accepting a lower offer. Waiting your turn in the queue takes longer. Consider a seller who told a young couple about the drainage problem in the yard, and watched them negotiate the price down. He lost money on the day. He also slept well, and years later the couple still wave when he passes their gate.
The psalm promises that such a person “shall receive blessing from the LORD” (Psalm 24:5). That blessing does not always arrive as a better deal. Sometimes it is a clear conscience, a good name, a relationship that survives, or simply the freedom of having nothing to hide when the file is opened again.
Practical ways to keep your hands clean
- Choose an attorney-at-law, agent and valuator with a reputation for integrity, and ask them plainly how they handle requests to understate prices.
- Write down what you know about the property’s defects before you list it, and share it.
- Read every document before you sign, and do not sign anything you know to be false.
- If someone suggests a shortcut, say no kindly and early. It is easier at the start than at the closing table.
- Budget for the full, proper costs from the beginning, so honesty is not a last-minute shock.
A house is often the largest transaction of a family’s life. It deserves to be done in a way you would be happy for your children to read about one day.
This article is general information only and is not financial, legal, tax or other professional advice. Please speak to a qualified professional about your own circumstances.
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