Homeowners in three San Antonio neighborhoods are continuing to battle with KB Home — and now their builder-controlled homeowners associations — about KB's decision to add lower-priced homes to their communities.
|
Although the fight over changing prices and home sizes has been ongoing for months, at issue now are the “For Sale by Owner” signs planted in some front yards that refer passers-by to the Web site KBLies.com. Homeowners say the professionally made signs are a way to advertise their homes for sale and meet neighborhood covenants. But the HOA at the Quarry at Iron Mountain, an upscale community in the Sonterra area, contends the signs violate neighborhood regulations and must be removed by Monday. The HOA board is controlled by KB Home, which has two-thirds of the votes. Covenants say homeowners could be fined $100 a day, and that failure to pay fines could result in a foreclosure proceeding. Homeowners in Sundance Ridge and Sundance Trails, located west of Loop 1604 near Potranco Road, also have received HOA letters about their yard signs, but will begin having hearings before their board next week. “I have no faith that they're going to give us any other answer,” Sundance Trails resident Jennifer Czuhajewski said. |
|
Several homeowners from the Quarry at Iron Mountain, Sundance Trails and Sundance Ridge held a news conference Thursday to protest what they say are unfair actions by KB Home and the homeowners associations to suppress their free speech rights.
Quarry at Iron Mountain resident Sharon Cox said she was asked to prove her home is for sale at her HOA hearing earlier this week, and that board members said a legitimate listing would be one with a real estate agent and a number in the Multiple Listing Service.
“We made a sworn statement in front of their attorney that our home was for sale,” Cox said. “Do I need to take a lie detector test? I want to leave this neighborhood.”
There are seven homes listed for sale on the KBLies.com Web site.
“We have a real issue here of constitutional rights,” said Janet Ahmad, president of HomeOwners For Better Building.
Cathy Teague, the spokeswoman for KB Home who sits on the board of the HOAs, said other neighbors have questioned the motivations of the disgruntled homeowners.
“There's no telephone number so that somebody could contact them about the home,” Teague said of the for-sale-by-owner signs. “Any reasonable person would take a look and question whether the intent is to sell the home or to destroy the peace and quiet and harmony of the neighborhood.”
Meanwhile, some other homeowners at the Quarry at Iron Mountain have placed “I love my KB Home” dashboard visors in the windows of their homes or cars.
“We're trying to keep this quiet,” said Fortunato Tinoco, a resident of the Quarry at Iron Mountain who has such a sign in his front window. “It's like when families quarrel. You don't want the whole world to know.”
Tinoco said dozens of other residents signed a petition asking HOA board members to take action against the for-sale-by-owner signs. He does not believe the other homeowners really intend to market their homes for sale.
Resident George Horace, who has an “I love my KB Home” sign, said the negative yard signs have caused potential residents to cancel contracts on homes in the neighborhood. “You can't blame people for walking away,” he said. “They're paying $300,000 for a house. There are plenty of other options.”
Buying a new home in a still-developing community always carries risks, but the stakes have gotten higher as builders face a challenging market. KB has said it had to change the home product in the communities due to the economy.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/HOAs_target_anti-KB_signs.html
Read and Post Comments
Justice7:53 PM
Only the KB employees using Anonymous names are complaining. If KB valued their customer they would have taken care of this long ago. Instead they use the KB controled HOA to bully and intimidate homeowners.
Patriot Missive6:24 PM
I want to hear the residents of this neighborhood say that they understand what "reapportionment of assessments" means!!! This is THE tool that KB will use to legally foreclose on your home AND force you to also pay them thousands to boot. I am with you 100% in your opposition to your abusive HOA. Most HOAs are abusive, it is the nature of the beast, however, if you do not understand basic HOA tactics or link onto those who do, your days as a homeowner are limited. You MUST know HOW to fight monstrous HOAs. Most assuredly, this is NOT KB's first HOA rodeo. http://www.newterritorysentinel.com/gravy_train.pdf http://www.texashoareform.org/
okt0ber4:16 PM
Missou J School - They're underwater because KB Homes depreciate like Manufactured Homes. KB Homes aren't good investments, no matter how nice the neighborhood. When I was looking to buy a house, I refused to even look at a KB built neighborhood for this reason.
Mizzou J School3:56 PM
If KB is still building in the three subdivisions they do have a vested interest in keeping "sold" homes "sold". Otherwise, the two are in direct competition with each other. Probably these homes are underwater financially and there isn't a way to break even anyway. Too little money down, a down turn in the economy, and suddenly you have a home worth far less than you paid for it. The only solution is to sit tight and ride it out.
proud_native1:59 PM
So..... does Mr. Horace face the $100 a day fine for having a sign in HIS yard? If not, then I believe a clear case for discrimination is present. KB is demonstrating beyond a shadow of a doubt the draconian measures that HOA's are infamous for. To take a page from Rev. King, I too have a dream that one day all of San Antonio's residents can live in peace with equal rights and laws that will support the people who actually PAY for their home instead of the discriminatory laws currently in place. San Antonio is unique in its stance of HOA or bust! It is one of the primary reasons that businesses avoid this city ... they fear (rightly so) that their employees will not be able to find a nice home without having a feudal landlord dictating how they will have to live.
Anymouse11:36 AM
Here is a step in the right direction; read in today’s SA Exp/News (http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/local/TRCC_reveals_its_plan_to_close_down.html) about the shutdown of the sham bureaucracy, TRCC. It was simply devised and given a state status to further insulate the home “building” industry from the end user—homeowners. Once this hoax has ended it would be interesting to review ending the city/county building “inspector” scam. One may ask, “do away with inspections?” Simply look at the myriad of sloppiness and shoddy “construction” in today’s homes. Doing away with “inspectors” may not increase quality, but it will most certainly help stop the corruption and encourage workable alternatives. In this case, government is NOT looking out for YOUR BEST INTERESTS.
Anthony8:39 AM
Anyone who buys a Keep Bi**hing home deserves what they end up with.
bb12:57 AM
Who in their right mind would by a junky, thrown up in two days, cheap everything KB home anyway.
Mizzou J School12:20 AM
Regarding the HOA why would anyone buy a home and then turn over their rights to the seller to manage the HOA? Once you buy a home and it meets your criteria then the seller should wave goodbye and say, thank you.
Jennifer12:08 AM
With regards to Fionas comment. I stated we are harrassed and discriminated against and Fionas statements are a prime example.
Jennifer12:05 AM
HappyHomeOwnerInQuarry thank you. We have many people in our neighborhood that feel the same way. It is nice to know we have homeowners in the community that understand what the HOA is doing and the money they are spending to prevent us from selling our homes.
Rush O'Reilly11:10 PM
That's what you get for buying a KB home, sorry but the truth hurts.
Muppet10:44 PM
sonorn - If you go to the website click on the For Sale tab. If you look under the listings you will see a paragraph that tells you if you want to buy one of the listings to fill out the form on the contact us page. It also gives other instructions.
HappyHomeOwnerInQuarry10:15 PM
If we can get past the name-calling and finger-pointing, the important part of this story is the fact that an HOA can arbitrarily change the rules without so much as asking residents first. That's a scary thing for ANY homeowner in San Antonio. From what I can tell from the paperwork we signed when we bought into this neighborhood, professionally made for sale signs are permissible in yards. The KBlies.com signs I see here in the neighborhood are clean, clearly-legible for sale signs. How can my HOA deem that the residents with these signs in their yards aren't trying to sell them? I'd rather not have my HOA dues pay for the attorneys providing this one-sided guidance that does nothing to address the concern of these homeowners looking to sell their homes. Let the folks sell their homes as they see fit within the guidelines we all signed off on.
Mizzou J School10:12 PM
Is anyone else out there tired of KB Home stories? Why do people keep buying these homes? Simply, if no one bought a KB Home then we wouldn't have to keep hearing about them year after year after year!!!! Potential home buyers please save a couple of dozen newspapers from the archives about KB Homes so that you will remember not to buy one.
Fiona10:07 PM
I forgot to mention that I would not doubt at all that these folks are just jumping on some type of bandwagon because they think this may be their only home of getting out from under their mortgage payments that they could never actually afford. Next stop for them is either foreclosure for not removing their signs or foreclosure because they can't afford their homes because they only work at the filling station and received subprime loans when they were hot. It's their choice, but they are really showing their you know what's by making themselves look so trashing with these ridiculous signs. Get a life people!
Fiona10:04 PM
Sonorn, you won't find any real numbers to call because all of these KBLIE FSBO's are fraudulently claiming to be wanting to sell their homes. They are all full of themselves. I hope they understand that it is unlawful to falsely list, whether on the MLS or by FSBO methods a home that they actually have no intention of selling. What a bunch of losers!! lol
sonorn9:22 PM
I am very interested in purchasing a home, would like to see a couple of the homes for sale in the Quarry at Iron Mountain. How can I get in contact with one of the sellers of the homes on the KBlies website? There is no contact information with the listings, nor prices, nor phone numbers on their signs.
MHneighbor9:07 PM
Come on KBL5, enough of this, We get it, the KBL5 are upset that their houses are not worth what they paid for them due to economy. We bought when the market was hot and now it's not. One of the KBL5 told me that they love their home but they are going to see what they can get KB to do to make it right for them! KBL5 take down your NOT for sale signs, we will forgive and take you back into the loving fold.
Jennifer9:01 PM
I am a homeowner in the Sundance Community who is having the same issues with KB and our HOA. While some in our communities decided that we are not legitimatly selling our homes, tell me what else are we suppose to do? I live in a neighborhood that has seen a decrease in value of as much as 20% since KB brought in these "new models" again. This area we live in saw an increase in home values of 3% last year while the rest of San Antonio saw a decrease of 7%. Not only do I have to try to use unique marketing techniques to sell my home but I cannot afford to pay a 6% realtor commission to sell my home the way KB and the KB run HOA says I can because I have lost so much already. This is nothing more that KB trying to rid the competition. Also to all you homeowners that are upset with the way we choose to market our homes I ask, Since when do we live in a world where all have to have the same opinion. Since when does that give you the right to harrass and dicriminate us for doing what we need to do to get our house sold so we can move on with our lives? I never signed up to live in a home I have lost so value in under a year. I surely never signed up to be threatened, harrassed, or to lose my rights as a citizen. There are few that have made it their life to bring negativity upon those of us selling our homes. besides a select few regardless of how are neighbors feel whether they agree with what we are doing are not we can still remain friends and neighbors. Isn't that the way it should be? Instead KB and members of our HOA slap our community in the face with constant nagging and negativity regarding what we are doing. It is horrible. San Antonio is so great for its diversity. So why does my community feel we all have to think alike and agree on everything in order to live peacefully?
Anymouse2:32 PM
Tino, I am not sure I understand your comment. If you please elaborate so I may learn from your perspective. Otherwise, if your comment was tongue in cheek regarding citing the US Constitution in times of complete disregard by corporate and government interests, I get your point.
Patriot Missive10:46 AM
These homeowners have barely cracked the lid of what a "Homeowner Association" really is. These are intelligent homeowners and they have almost seen how the "declarent" (the builder/developer) is the real owner of all the homes. Even after the builder sells the homes he continues to own them through the use and manipulation of HIS "homeowner association." This is especially clear when the association forcloses on wouldbe homeowners through a sign in their front yard. This will happen at the surprise of many when the association (KB) reassigns the homeowners association dues to pay for their sign fines. At that point the homeowners will be in arrears on his dues and will also be hit hard with attorney fees. This HOA practice is an invitation for the homeowners to file a lawsuit, and when they do they will have to pay all of the HOAs attorney fees during the entire suit (it's all legal and vile and in the CC&Rs. Homeowner Associations are a privatization corporate scam to legally and illegally defraud homeowners of their investment in their home. Only when homeowners come to this awareness will this type of privatized dictatorship stop. http://www.newterritorysentinel.com/gravy_train.pdf http://www.texashoareform.org/
Tino9:50 AM
Anymouse, give us a break....you can't be serious
Tino9:48 AM
The facts the KBlies homeowners presented are totally fabricated, twisted truths. They are merely pons of Janet Ahmad. The only "notorious" reputation KB Home has is perpetrated by this person and her pans. It is unfortunate that she, along with these 5 individuals choose to want to poison this once tranquil community without regard for the damage she is doing to the property values in the KB Home communities she chooses to attack. If you look at every instance where KB Home is in the news, Ms. Ahmad is behind the news release. On the comment justice made, there are only two KB Home employees living in this community and they have not and do not voice an concerns. We the homeowners, over 70% had to get involved and demand the HOA take action. The builder has kept quiet on this matter. It is the right of the homeowners in a community to hold the HOA responsible for protecting the value. We, as homeowners exercised this right. The article fail to address how these upside down “For sale” with a KBLies tag on top and bottom is going to attack a prospective buyer to want to preview this house. Any sign in any community that hurts potential sales and poisons the community is in appropriate and the HOA has every right to protect the majority of the homeowners and there property. There is a long history that goes with this story. These signs need to go and we need to move on. 2Happyhomeowners
Anymouse9:42 AM
Re: KB Home saga. Please do NOT interpret I am being condescending to unhappy homeowners plight, I am only simply illustrating a horrible trend in corporate business today that is manifested by this example. People, please read the contract of sale and/or publish the names of the attorneys who reviewed your closing documents and recommended you agree to waiving your US Constitutional rights (7th Amendment: In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.”) by agreeing to waive your right to seek remedy in a court of law (Mandatory Arbitration Clause). To amplify the warning signs, in this case KB controls the HOA. Tell your friends and family that any waiver of your Constitutional rights is an immediate deal terminator. Don’t let them do this very questionable and foolish act, especially with a HUGE investment and responsibility like a home. Look at these homeowners; do they really have true ownership of private property? We do it to ourselves…we agree to this nonsense!
1HappyHomeOwner9:25 AM
I challenge those interested in hearing from the horses mouth to go to Joe Pags website and listen to the podcasts from last night's show. There are three parts and the ring leader behind these five home owners demanding that their homes be bought back calls into the show. After his long call (on part one and two of the "KB Sign-gate" series) Joe takes two calls and reads an email. The email is also from one of the KBLies families. Joe calls it right. And he has no interest in either party. Talk Radio is great for calling a spade a spade and that is exactly what he does. The final caller is one of the many home owners that signed our petition - not because of anything KB asked him to do - but because we want our quiet community back. As to Justice's post - not sure what this person is talking about. I was never at a "party" hosted by KB to "stir things up". The two original petition authors are not KB employees and never have been. We just happened to buy in a community that has been held hostage by the KBL team. In fact I met Cathy Teague for the first time last night at a zoning commission meeting. I have talked to her on the phone but have never been involved in gatherings where she was present. We live in a wonderful community and love our homes. I feel for anyone that has lost value from buying a high dollar home at the top of the market (in the last couple of years) - whether in our neighborhood, city or any place in the country. It is a sad situation - but as Joe Pags rightly states - this isn't the fault of the builder. There are broader things going on in the economy right now that have adversely impacted the residential market on homes over $300M - even in San Antonio.
Justice8:38 AM
Remember this is KB Home, whose reputation is notorious! It was the 5 KB employees that live in that neighborhood, plus the KB sales people, Kathy Teague, the spokeswoman for KB/KB HOA representative and Ken Langston the VP of KB Home that held parties with residents to stir up things. KB then designed, distributed and instructed homeowners to place “Happy Homeowners” signs in their home windows and to park their cars in the driveways with signs in the car windshields. The covenants specifically prohibit signs that KB distributed from being displayed. Why is you always see disgruntled KB Homeowners in the news.
1HappyHomeOwner10:35 PM
As one of the organizer for the petition that over 60% of the home owners signed (many weren't home when we block walked) I can say that KB had nothing to do with the actions of the HOA. In fact because they controlled the board they were hesitant to act as it might appear that the big corporation was attacking the little guy. It was because they didn't act that several home owners put together a letter, mailed it out to all the home owners, block walked the community to get signatures and talk to residents and filed it with the HOA. Of course the builder was aware of our actions - but the HOA was driven by the vast majority of home owners that are tired of the deceptive tactics of these KBLies.com home owners. They are not really selling their homes - it is obvious that they are only trying to use media and agressive tacticts to scare away potential buyers of both existing homes and new contracts to build in order to "force" KB to buy back their luxury homes that have lost value as most of the over $300M home market has in Stone Oak. When you buy at the top of the market you are going to lose value in the type of economy we are currently in.
