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.
Friday, August 05, 2016
Unsophisticated Buyer Finds Himself Owning A Pig In A Poke; Shells Out $11K For Vacant Lot For Future Home Site, Then Finds Out Additional $75K Needed To Install Water & Sewer Lines
In Edinburgh, Texas, KRGV-TV Channel 5 reports:
An Edinburg family's dream of a house in the country turned into a land deal disaster. A hard working family wants their hard-earned money back.
Jorge and his son, George Robledo, are like a lot of hard working Rio Grande Valley middle class families, who work in the oil fields.
The Robledos dreamed for a bigger house for their family in the country.
The son went overseas to work in the oil fields in South Africa. He sent money home, until they had enough for a down payment for some land. They had $11,000 saved.
George Robledo and his dad thought they found their piece of heaven two years ago in an underdeveloped area in Edinburg, owned by Jose Mora Garza.
George Robledo wants his money back from this land deal. “He told us his story, we told him our story, you know we got along, so you know, I’m a first-time buyer. I went along with him. I trusted him. I felt good about it”, he said.
Jorge Robledo said Garza appeared more helpful after the down payment paid Garza’s property taxes. He said Garza offered to clear off the lot of the tall grass.
He said Garza told him after the first payment he would clean up the lot.
Jorge Robledo said the dream fell apart after the money was paid.
He said the land drawings were not legal or accurate. There was no sewer or water access. It was going to cost $75,000 to put in water and sewer lines.
George Robledo said he felt shocked and helpless. “I just didn't understand. There are rules to the land, I just learned about the regulations, obviously and the sewage that make sense to me,” he said.
They have a stack of papers showing everything the Robledos tried to do to get their money back over an 18-month period.
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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