So there's no way to hide it from gov't.

It could be the seller is hiding issues (bad roof, leaking foundation on good rains, yard floods, sewer line problems, etc). 

I am not at all inspired by the story of someone who hides and keeps their money secret from even their own family.

He knows exactly what he's doing and is just trying his best to hide it so the scheme can continue on, I guess in his delusional mind, forever.

At this point you are trying to jack up the price and have the government assume liability for the mortgage and "hide a fee" within the confines of it to someone who is not licensed to accept that fee.

Dont hide it.

Unless @Keith Jourdan is hiding something from us, this is a clear-cut case and an estoppel certificate would have likely saved his bacon.

Are you hiding a payment that makes it unlikely you will be able to carry all your other debt with the mortgage payment? 

Upon waking the house there were no major issues apparent, but is this a sign of the seller hiding something or taking the path or least resistance

Upon waking the house there were no major issues apparent, but is this a sign of the seller hiding something or taking the path or least resistance