I am shocked at the comments that blame the victim. Shame on those who blame homebuyers. Unscrupulous builders are the pros when it comes to scamming homebuyers. The industry is twenty years ahead of consumers.

If the idea of “buyer beware” is the standard then maybe we should all be responsible for inspecting food before we eat it. If we get sick or die then it’s the victims fault for not inspecting for salmonella. There is a basic responsibility of government to protect citizens against unscrupulous predatory business practice and scams. It is our right as taxpayer to expect certain protections under the law. Otherwise we would all be expected to be experts in construction, law, the sciences, traffic control, meat inspection, etc.

I don’t think anyone should blame the victims of deceit.
Home Owners for Better Building (hobb.org)

Look at the last sentences of this article.

If the Colemans have failed to pay the $1.5 million from 2005, then the authorities have means to force compliance.

A lot of somebodies have been asleep at the wheel for the last three years.

To paraphrase a certain someone, this is the kind of DROWSINESS that has gotten us in the trouble we are in as a nation ... it is especially typical of the IVEY LEAGUE.

nathanmboggs: If this is not a textbook example of what is wrong with America, then I don't know what is. Here is a couple buying a 4BR,3BA colonial as their first home. With no mention of their kids, it is safe to assume they didn't need a house anywhere near the size of this home.

nathamboggs who are to you to say what the Thompson can or shouldn't have done the fact of the matter is someone stole from them to satify their own greed. This was not about what they could afford or not afford go back and read the article again.

Katie Ridley robbed me and wife also. When I confronted her and my builder on what I felt were disparities in my actual loan and what I felt I qualified for she went on a long tirade about how she was on a mission from God to help "the broke down buyers" in Prince Georges County.

Needless to say, I'm glad she's headed to prision because she single-handedly increased the foreclosure rate in Maryland.

"Stuart and Nancy Thompson said they thought they were getting a "good deal" when they saw the floor plans for a four-bedroom, 3 1/2 bath colonial priced at $370,000. It was to be their first home."

If this is not a textbook example of what is wrong with America, then I don't know what is. Here is a couple buying a 4BR,3BA colonial as their first home. With no mention of their kids, it is safe to assume they didn't need a house anywhere near the size of this home.

You all are some of the most heartless and undereducated excuses for people I have had to encounter on this board. Truth be told, it wasn't uncommon to ride past newer developments and see a sign "starting in the mid $300's". In addition, during construction there is pre-construction pricing that builders sometimes offer in order to obtain monies to sustain them through building houses.

Regardless of whether you think these people "got what they deserved" because they don't think as jaded as you do. No person deserves to be swindled out of money and sold pipe dreams (ya know kinda like Bush is doing now (and McCain will do later) with the economy and gas and crap, but I digress...)

HAD ANYONE SEEN THE WORK OF THESE SO-CALLED BUILDERS??? I WOULD BE VERY LEARY TO PUT A DEPOSIT ON SOMETHING THAT WAS ONLY SEEN ON PAPER.

People think they can get away with crimes forever. They get caught because of their own hubris and greed,

With all the reputable builders out there: Ryan, Patriot, Mid-Atlantic, Pulte, etc, why would anyone plop down money on a no name? In the housing market, people get ripped off because of their own stupidity and ignorance. Then they want to blame the crooks that ripped them off. A house is a major investment. Before you buy or build, DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Sorry if I sound a little harsh, but I'm tired of these sob stories. When my husband and I were first time home buyers, we researched and researched before we selected a realtor and a mortgage company because it was unfamiliar territory. Nobody had to tell us to to that. It was just plain common sense. Our research paid off and we enjoyed 9 good years in our first home before we sold it and bought another. Use your heads people. That's why God gave it to you.

Caveat emptor:'Let the buyer beware".

May I ask, Did any of these buyers consult a "REAL ESTATE LAWYER FIRST," before slamming down so much up-front money, to these crooks ?????

They at least own the land, right? It's too bad they can't put a pre-fab house on the lot!

Park and Planning, or shall we say, Pork and Planning is aiding and abetting all of this.

Who approves all the bogus subdivisions and even puts them up on PG Atlas with a disclaimer, to boot ???

How much bribe money is at stake ????

So, the county is prosecuting, I crooks were fined and haven't complied. 1) Transfer the mortgages to the crooks 2) lock the crooks up. It seems to me that the county/state should be able to relieve these people of this debt. They should have done their research, but still, no one should be robbed like that.

Why would you make any kind of investment with a fly-by-night business? Did you do your research before you put yourself in debt only for your dreams of homeownership to become a nightmare?

USCitizen66 you're a cliche-ridden moron.

I highly doubt the "fine print" suggested the builders would pocket the cash with no hope of building the home. And let's all agree that the home pictured could easily be the top of the line model, and the $370k homes could have been much smaller (that home in the drawing is certainly larger than 4 bedrooms).

Well, well, it's like the old saying goes, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" Now with that said I do not feel sorry for these folks because the bottom line is you have to read the fine print and do heavy research before you make decisions of this magnitude. You will hear more stories like this one in the near future as the truth comes to light! Folks need to wake up and smell the coffee! There is no such thing as a steal in real estate without strings attached!

When something is too good o be true...

Did they really think they'd get a mansion like in that photo for $370,000? They almost deserve the spot they're in now.

Hopefully, this will open the door!
This case may not be completely isolated. There are others around the area that I suspect, but can't prove, have fallen victim to similar schemes!

$370,000. for an acre and huge house?? if it sounds too good to be true....beware!!
still, send them to jail!