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Thomas Gallagher
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posted 8 August 2007 11:47 CET
Just built with Ryan Homes in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio and day 2 I am already regretting it. I upgraded to include a fireplace in my home and was told I would have canned adjustable lights above it, I don't. I was also told that my cabinets below the counters would have pull out shelves in them, they don't. When I asked about this I was simply told the line of homes my model is in does not include those. Of course when I bought the house the sales rep (who no longer works there) told me it would. Spoke to the area President and he told me he would meet me halfway and put the pullout shelves in, but since the rep no longer works there he can't verify the lights and will not do them. Followed by, as a consumer I should get everything in writing. I thought that I did. I am not happy and would urge anyone considering Ryan Homes to either go with another builder or to be VERY cautious. You simply can't trust them. |
Kim Duane
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posted 8 August 2007 11:00 CET
We purchased a home from Kimball Hill Homes May 2007. We were not advised in writing or otherwise that our water comes from Sacramento County well water. Given the opportunity to know that we would be using well water - we would not have purchased this home in this location. We have the support of numerous neighbors to lodge a class action suit against the builder to compensate us for the cost of a water softener and water purifier and damages for not disclosing this water issue at the time of purchase. Do you know if we have any rights as a homeowner?  |
KEISHA GREEN
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posted 5 August 2007 19:25 CET
DEAR HOMEOWNERS FOR BETTER BUILDING:
MY NAME IS KEISHA M. GREEN
I'VE BEEN IN MY HOME SINCE JUNE 2006,I HAD PURCHASED THE HOUSE 7106 NORTH BROAD STREET PHILADELPHIA,PA 19126 FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER WHICH IS CHRISTOPHER L. ROYAL.IN AUGUST 2006 JAY SANDFORD PURCHASED THE HOME,MR. SANDFORD HAS NEVER BEEN BY THE HOUSE TO AT LEAST INTRODUCE HIMSELF,MR SANDFORD FINALLY CAME TO THE HOUSE IN NOVEMBER 2006 AND HE HAS NEVER BEEN INSIDE THE HOUSE,I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THE HOUSE NEEDS AT LEAST $15,000-$20,000 IN REPAIRS[SOME OF THE REPAIRS I STARTED MYSELF] AND BOTH THE LEAD PAINT AND THE POSSIBLE ASBESTOS NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE HOME BECAUSE MY CHILDREN AGES 2 AND 7 TESTED POSITIVE FOR LEAD PAINT, BEFORE I'LL GIVE YOU ANY MONEY,AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD MAKE THE REPAIRS BEFORE CLOSING TIME WHICH WAS DECEMBER 2006 WE MADE THE DEAL THROUGH HIS BROKER AT ADVANTAGE ONE MORTGAGE BERNARD ROSENBERG,I TOLD HIM THAT I WANTED 30 YEARS FIXED RATE MORTGAGE,HE GIVES A 3/1 ARM MORTGAGE AND TOLD THIS WAS THE ONLY DEAL HE COULD GET ME AND EXPECTED ME TO PAY $13,000 IN CLOSING COSTS WITH A RATE OF %8.875 MY MONTHLY PAYMENT WOULD BE $1,193 AND I TOLD HIM THATS TO HIGH AND I'LL GO SOME PLACE ELSE,THEY WE'RE TAKING MONEY FROM MY BANK ACCOUNT,I HAD TO CLOSE MY ACCOUNT TO PREVENT THIS,I DIDN'T PAY THE CLOSING COSTS OR THAT MONTHLY PAYMENT THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME AT THAT POINT MR. SANDFORD STARTED CALLING ME SEVERAL TIMES A DAY LEAVING THREATNING MESSAGES ON MY MACHINE WHICH I'VE SAVED STARTED HAVING HIS REALTOR TERRY SIT OUTSIDE MY HOME TO SEE IF I WOULD COME OUTSIDE AS HE SAW ME HE WOULD THEN PULL OFF AND SIT AT THE CORNER OF MY BLOCK TO CALL MR. SANDFORD ONCE HE SAW ME[See Police Reports Filled At The 35TH District].,I AM A VICTIM OF PREDATORY LENDING AND MORTGAGE FRAUD,HOUSING DISCRIMINATION WANNA KEEP THE HOUSE AND CONTINUE LIVING HERE AND MAKING THE REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE MADE AND THEN MR SANDFORD SAID THAT I COULDN'T HAVE THE HOUSE BECAUSE I HAVE BAD CREDIT WHEN I KNOW THAT'S A LIE PEOPLE WITH BAD,NO,GOOD CREDIT WITH/OUT A CO-SIGNER BUY HOUSES ALL THE TIME.IF I DO GET EVICTED I WOULD LIKE ALL THE MONEY THAT I SPENT REPAIRING THIS HOUSE BACK WHICH WAS ABOUT $15,000,MR. SANDFORD IS ALSO DOUBLE DEALING HE ALSO TRIED TO SELL THE HOUSE TO A YOUNG LADY BY THE NAME OF BRETT BOLDEN FOR $97,500,THE HOUSE IS NOT WORTH $150,000 OR $97,500,BECAUSE EVERY HOUSE IN THE 19126 ZIP CODE DID NOT SELL FOR OVER $80,000 AT THE MOST AND $60,000 AT THE LOWEST,SOME WERE REBUILT AND SOME WERE REMODELED.NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO KEEP ALL OF MONEY AND EVICT ME ON MY EIGHT YEAR OLD SONS BIRTHDAY. |
frank bermudez
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posted 3 August 2007 10:10 CET
Lakewood Homes - Corparate office in schaumburg ILLINOIS. They refuse to do warranty work that is within the warranty. I have leaking windows within one year. Doors that won't shut properly, bathtub that is cracking, drywall that you can see most seams, all railings are coming off walls, counter tops are pulling away from walls, and caulk seems to be the answer for all gaps. Roofing is sagging already after one year. I'm just looking to get the warranty work done, no extras and still can't get it done. |
Jennifer Hichez
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posted 30 July 2007 21:54 CET
Morrison homes & the city of Orlando (vista lakes communuty-Warwick) never disclosed that the homes on these premises are located on a former bombing range and currently havepossible live bombs. |
Rheanne Garcia
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posted 29 July 2007 09:22 CET
I purchased a Classic Century Home in February of 2005. Had a leak in the front large arched window within the year warranty period. People came to fix problem but learned that there was a problem/defect in the window in general.
Have another leak in same window and warranty people told me that routine maintainence was the problem. It needs to be "calked." Even though the company changed window designs on newly built homes, patronized me with routine maintainence solution. Is there anything I can do to have them replace my window with the newly designed one of the same style? |
Harvey Braden
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posted 28 July 2007 11:53 CET
BEWARE Stoneridge Custom Homes...Long story short my family lived through the most miserable home buying experience that I can imagine. From the time we contracted with Stoneridge Custom Homes the customer service has been non existent. I was used to 'supervise' details that should have been none of my concern. Then I was told that I slowed down the construction process. A week before our scheduled closing date I informed them that I did not want to close on the scheduled date because there was no way the home would be complete. I was told "your contract says you must close or you will lose your $10k deposit". After voicing my concerns I was promised everything would be ready and the morning of closing I thought it actually was, but after closing we realized the HVAC system had not been charged or started, the septic system was not running, there were nails/screws in the garbage disposal, bath tubs were clogged with trash, hardwood floors were water damaged and the last coat of clear on the hardwood floors had never been applied. The builder doesn't return phone calls and after meeting other customers with the same experience I have realized he absolutely doesn't care about any of us. After living in the home for over 4 months we still have unfinished and water damaged hard wood floors, roof leaks, drywall damage, and a page long list of small details. I have sent email notices and a certified letter to the builder with no response. BEWARE of Stoneridge Custom Homes. Looking back I would have walked away from my $10k deposit in a second. They mainly build in the Mansfield, Arlington area. I have since learned that the builder operated under a different name about 6 years ago and with the 20 plus outraged customers recently created another name change is very likely. My home specs: 5,200 sq ft, 1.29 acres, 5 Bed, 5 Bath, Study, GM Room, Media RM, Balcony, 3 Car Grg, Paid $524k |
Lisa
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posted 19 July 2007 06:54 CET
About a year and half ago, I closed with Beazer Homes on a new construction condo in Jacksonville, Florida. Beazer "promised" a one year warranty on all home related issues. The first year was a mess, with a leaking bathtub that took the whole year to be fixed, one person shifting the blame to another. We also had problems with poor construction including that we could hear everything our neighbors above us did and everything our neighbors on each side of us did. The salesperson had promised that it was sound proof, but in fact I have since found out that they haven't used residental codes, but instead commerical codes for construction. Also, we have had problems with leaking in the bedroom. Which have led to mold. We had problems before with this leak and it turns out they the construction team had painted shut the dryer vent! So all the moisture from the dryer vent which runs over the bedroom was getting trapped there causing excess moisture and mold. Again, I thought this problem was fixed, but then again right after my one year warranty ended the moisture started gathering again in that same spot. Beazer said that they wouldn't come out to look at it since it was past my one year warranty even though it is a construction issue. Beazer does not know one single thing about customer service. They took every shortcut when building these condos and did not do proper installations on the bath tub, dishwasher, dryer etc. I was amazed at what a horrible job they had done. |
Gary Holden
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posted 14 July 2007 20:26 CET
I and my wife bought our house from Mainstreet Homes in 2001.
Within our 1 year warranty we complained about what seemed like mold in our windows. Mainstreet came out. They took out some sheetrock out on the windows which is most of them. and they found some moisture in most of the windows they replaced some insulation and did water checks. and said everything was ok. For the next 6 years we have been complaining about mold in the windows. Every time we call them out its the same story... condensation. This has affected our health and sanity. Can anyone tell us what we can do to get this fixed.
We appreciate any help you can give us.
Thank You |
Nancy Hentschel
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posted 13 July 2007 11:09 CET
Trendmaker has finally agreed to fix my tile if:
· I never tell anyone about Trendmaker’s outdated, watered down, spread too thin, mortar mix that was installed over building debris (sheetrock dust, paint, sawdust, mud and other trash) that caused my tile to erupt all over my house in Avalon.
· If I never discuss the terms of ”the settlement,” which is that they will fix my tile if (see above)
I would accept this agreement, except that Trendmaker also wants to buy the right to sue me, if I discuss my experience with anyone other than my attorney or my “immediate family.” That’s right, if I discuss this settlement or my experience with Trendmaker, with my cousins, my mother, and most certainly you, then Trendmaker reserves the right to sue me for breech of contract!
In this “silence settlement,” Trendmaker has also demanded that I remove all of the web entries that I have made, over the past two and a half disturbing years, concerning their defective tile work on my house, and their numerous misrepresentations. Imagine the prospects for entrapment with a silence agreement!? Trendmaker could make large sums of money, by entrapping others and me with taped phone calls, or merely inventing such accusations, as they did in their SLAPP suit against me.
In essence, Trendmaker is not offering to settle with me by replacing their poorly installed tile, they are in instead “buying my freedom of speech” for what it would cost to fix my tile. Please note that this offer to “settle” was made 2 ½ years after my tile began erupting, and after Trendmaker ran up my time and money in a SLAPP suit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SLAPP. In most cases, defending a SLAPP suit costs upwards of $10,000.00. In classic SLAPP suit fashion, Trendmaker "nonsuited", one day before the court date.
If I choose to sell my free speech for what it costs to replace my tile, then as much as I, and the many others who have sold their rights to speak honestly about their experiences with Trendmaker would like to, we will not be legally able to talk with you or anyone else about our experience, and thus document a pattern of problems with Trendmaker. This is why protesting a builder is usually a lonely affair. This is also why builders who settle with silence contracts seem to have far fewer complaints against them than they actually do.
Remember, most reputable builders simply fix the problem and would never demand a “silence contract.” Ask other builders. Trendmaker settled more than 30 tile issues in Katy alone (unfortunately using a silence contract). Ironically, the settlements were made only after these neighbors protested “together.”
What you can do to protect yourself now and later.
Call, email, visit or write your congress people today,
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/ http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/ http://lampson.house.gov/
and demand that they return your pre TRCC- (2003) homeowner rights, so that you can sue your builder if he has fraudulently installed defective materials, or built in an un-workmanship like manner. Your pre 2003 rights included your right to sue you builder to fix faulty workmanship and have the builder pay treble damages, as well as court costs, if the court found in your favor. Naturally under the force of these laws, builders were much more inspired to build better products, as well as to quickly repair their mistakes.
Post 2003 - TRCC, our homeowner rights, have become an expensive joke at our expense, and rest assured, our builder knows it. Homeowners must begin the complaint process by hiring a TRCC approved inspector (for even the most obvious cases) at a homeowner expense of $450. If TRCC feels like the homeowner has a case (Remember who makes up the TRCC) the "lucky" homeowner may then qualify to begin the high cost of arbitration. If a homeowner’s case requires the repair of gross negligence at a cost of less than $20,000.00, it might cost less to the homeowners if he or she pays for the repair “out of pocket.”
Explore these websites before you need them: www.hobb.org/ www.hadd.com/
http://www.fortbendnow.com/opinion/2519/homeowners-without-protection-are-falling-to-foreclosures http://www.Trendmakerhouses.com />http://www.ahrc.com/new/index.php/src/news/sub/letter/action/ShowMedia/id/3389
Know your rights, so that the choices you make “under stress” will not complicate you rights later. The police www.sugarlandtx.gov/police/ are helpful in outlining what you can, and cannot do, in protesting against your builder. Your homework here makes it much easier for any activist, or attorney, to help you when, and if, your builder files a SLAPP suit against you.
Remember you are protesting to have your builder behave in a responsible manner. Do not threaten anyone, step onto their property, or even tell your builder what you really think of his mother. Don’t go there! Stay focused on the issues.
Participate in your government! Your builder certainly has been!
Don’t sign a silence contract. It weakens your rights, as well as the rights of others in similar circumstances. |
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