Welcome to The Home Equity Theft Reporter, a blog dedicated to informing the consumer public and the legal profession about Home Equity Theft issues. This blog will consist of information describing the various forms of Home Equity Theft and links to news reports & other informational sources from throughout the country about the victims of Home Equity Theft and what government authorities and others are doing about it.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Lawsuit: Property Seller Under Contract For Deed Pocketed $51K In Payments, Then Stiffed Buyer On Title Transfer
In Jefferson County, Texas, The Southeast Texas Record reports:
A Jefferson County woman claims the seller of property she purchased refuses to convey the property's deed to her. Doris Marie Living filed a lawsuit April 5 in Jefferson County District Court against Calvin Spikes.
In her complaint, Living claims she entered into a contract for deed and made $51,000 in payments. Despite Living's payments, however, Spikes refuses to transfer the deed to her, breaching his contract with her, according to the complaint.
Spikes also violated the Texas Property Code by refusing to transfer the property title to Living, the suit states. Not only did Spikes refuse to give Living the deed to the property she purchased, but he also overcharged her by $4,000, the complaint says.
In her complaint, Living seeks a declaratory judgment that she legally owns the title to the property.
She also seeks actual damages, a refund of overpayments, liquidated damages in the maximum amount allowed by law, attorneys' fees, costs, pre- and post-judgment interest and other relief the court deems just.
CBC News: Betrayal of Trust (A CBC investigation reveals how lawyers across Canada have misappropriated and mishandled clients money, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, or sometimes even charging vulnerable people top dollar for shoddy services)
Land Contract/Contract For Deed/Rent-To-Own Rackets
The New York Times: The Housing Trap (In the wake of the housing crisis, low-income families have turned to seller financing to buy homes but these deals can be a money trap)
Beware The Fine Print: Consumers Forced To Sign Away Their Rights To Use Court System
The NY Times: Arbitration Everywhere, Stacking the Deck of Justice(Part 1 in series examining how clauses buried in tens of millions of contracts have deprived Americans of one of their most fundamental constitutional rights: their day in court)
Foreclosure Mills' Abysmal Record In Complying With New NYS Foreclosure Requirements
Justice Deceived: How Large Foreclosure Firms Subvert State Regulations Protecting Homeowners
MFY Legal Services Report On Questionable Practices By Process Servers In Debt Collection Cases
Justice Disserved: A Preliminary Analysis of the Exceptionally
Low Appearance Rate by Defendants in Lawsuits Filed in the Civil Court of the City of New York
Mortgage Mess Redux: Robo-Signers Return (A Reuters investigation finds that many banks are still employing the controversial foreclosure practices that sparked a major outcry last year)
CNN Video: As Foreclosures Mount, Florida Court Turns To 'Rocket Docket'
The Wall Street Journal: A Florida Court's 'Rocket Docket' Blasts Through Foreclosure Cases (2 Questions, 15 Seconds, 45 Days to Get Out; 'What's to Talk About?' Says a Judge)
"Produce The Note" Strategy When Dealing With Missing Promissory Notes In Foreclosure Actions
ABC Video: Fighting Against Foreclosure (Some homeowners have found a new tactic to keep the banks at bay)
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