HOUSTONâThereâs a sense of fulfillment that comes with home ownership â at least, thatâs what James and Renee Hoffman always dreamed of.
But the happiness they found within the walls of their Wilshire-built home ended with one certified mail delivery.
âWe moved in January, and about two weeks later, we got our first claim to lien,â Renee Hoffman said.
The lien was for work that Wilshire Homes should have paid for during construction. The Hoffmans said the company told them it was an isolated incident.
âThey said all debt on the house was paid for, all vendors were paid,â James Hoffman said.
âHe said this was all a mistake. Those were his words â quote â âIt was a mistake,ââ Renee Hoffman said.
A few weeks later, the Hoffmans say more liens showed up.
Now, an electrical contractor, a fence supplier and an appliance company are all naming Wilshire Homes and the Hoffmans in liens totaling almost $8,000.
Those liens should be covered by the coupleâs title insurance, but if the insurance company doesnât do that, the Hoffmans could become responsible for the money.
Wilshire Homes didnât want to talk to 11 News on camera about this story, but they did issue a statement.
âWilshire Homes is currently in negotiations with its vendors to restructure its payments to the satisfaction of those vendors and the release of any and all liens,â the statement read.
The company said the failing economy is behind its financial problems. But the state agency charged with enforcing laws over construction says exposing homeowners to liens after purchasing a home is a crime.
âWeâve seen a lot of calls some in over the last two months about âMy builder says heâs going to declare bankruptcy,â or âMy builders have filed â what do I do?ââ TRCC President Duanne Wuadill said.
Wuadill said as the economy slows, this problem will grow.
It leaves new homeowners like the Hoffmans wondering how a purchase they spent a decade preparing for could end up like this.
âWe did it right. We did the right steps. We didnât jump into something we couldnât do,â Renee Hoffman said.
Now, theyâre left wondering if Wilshire Homes can say the same.
http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/txcn/houston/stories/khou090327_tnt_liens.783d4cb6.html