Does anyone know what happens if I sue a seller but ultimately decide I don't want the home

What a frustrating and stressful situation — after two years of searching in Western Washington, finding your dream property only to discover the seller and agent concealed a missing Certificate of Occupancy is a serious breach of trust. You have every right to be upset, and more importantly, you likely have strong legal standing here.

To answer your core question: if you sue the seller for fraudulent concealment or misrepresentation but later decide you no longer want the property, you have a couple of options depending on how far the transaction has progressed. You could pursue rescission of the contract, which essentially unwinds the deal and seeks to restore you to your original position — meaning you'd get your earnest money back plus potentially damages for costs incurred during due diligence. Alternatively, you could pursue damages without completing the purchase, arguing that the seller's concealment caused you financial harm (inspection fees, legal fees, time lost, etc.). In Washington State, sellers and agents have a legal duty to disclose known material defects, and a missing Certificate of Occupancy absolutely qualifies as material. Those emails you have showing prior knowledge are significant evidence — consult a Washington real estate attorney immediately, as you may have a strong case.

That said, if this whole experience has left you questioning the traditional home-buying process entirely — and honestly, who could blame you — it might be worth exploring a different path for your land search going forward. Working with a direct land buyer means you skip the layers of agents, undisclosed surprises, and drawn-out negotiations. Companies that specialize in as-is purchases and cash offers operate with full transparency because the entire model depends on straightforward transactions. There's no hiding defects when you're the one making the cash offer.

If you're still looking for land or rural property in Western Washington and want a process that's honest and efficient, a direct buyer can often provide a fair cash offer quickly, and some also offer owner financing options that make the path to ownership more flexible. You deserve a clean, trustworthy transaction after everything you've been through.

Bottom line: get a real estate attorney on the phone today, preserve all those emails, and know that your next land search doesn't have to feel this complicated.

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