- Report: #150763
Complaint Review: America's First Home Barry Frey & Associates Citizons Trust Mortgage - Altamonte Springs Florida
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Author Confirmed
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America's First Home Barry Frey & Associates Citizons Trust Mortgage
380 S. Northlake Blvd, Suite 1012, Altamonte Springs, 32701 Florida, U.S.A.
Phone:
407-834-7444
Web:
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America's First Home, Barry Frey & Associates, Citizons Trust Mortgage Bait & Switch, Illegal Contracts, Escalating Prices Ripoff Altamonte Springs Florida
DO NOT USE THIS BUILDER! THEY SPECIFICALLY PREY UPON MINORITIES AND LOW-INCOME BUYERS.
We contracted with America's First Home in Summer 2004 to build a home. We were told that if we use their lender, they cover the closing costs.
We've been dealing with them for a full year, and STILL, NO HOME.
The first problem arose when we chose a model that according to one of their price sheets, had been discontinued months before we met with them. We were not notified that this house was discontinued until our interior design appointment 2 months later. They wrote us a NEW CONTRACT with a different model.
The second problem occured when we complained that after a full month of leaving messages, our sales person SARIBELLE SETIEN was not returning our calls. This caused a delay in filing for a building permit. They would not stand by the 3-4 months timeline they promised to build our home. They stated that THE CONTRACT said they can take up to 2 years before they are in violation.
The third problem came in when they rewrote the contract to add my spouse. We wanted this originally, but they advised us not to. After 5 months of thinking we were making progress with them, we were back at square one. Based on their sales pitch we should have been moved in by December/January. Instead, we were signing our THIRD CONTRACT to have the home built.
THE CONTRACT states that if we walked away from the deal, our deposit would be forfeited. We figured we would just finish the process and be done with them. Housing prices in our area are SOARING, and we didn't have much choice. Finally the home was completed. We did our final walkthrough, and signed off on the construction.
We provided them with all necessary documentation regarding savings, income, bank statements, etc. All of this information was misplaced, and we had to provide it again. We spent an entire month on this process. Even the day before the closing, we could not get a copy of our closing package to have our attorney review.
To our amazement, just hours before closing, we got a call from the builder stating that the price of our house would have to increase, because of an administrative error on THE CONTRACT we had been working from. The closing costs and other fees which they were supposed to pay would not be covered by them after all. The cost of the home went up $15,000! They gave us the following options:
a) bring this amount to closing (their lender has all of our financial docs and KNEW we did not have enough money to cover this)
b)let them rewrite the contract reflecting the higher price (which raises our monthly payment just out of our reach-INSTANT FORECLOSURE!)
c)default on the contract so they could sell the home at a much higher price (and after wasting a year, we are back to paying RENT).
When we voiced our dissatisfaction, Citizens Trust Mortgage, their lender called repeatedly to strongarm us into signing the new contract. The representative BEN BECKER even warned us not to bring a lawyer into the situation, because we would LOSE.
This company switches contracts to cover up their mistakes, and to increase their profits. They use unassuming customers to get the homes built, then sell them off to investors for higher profit.
We are sitting in an apartment with boxes wondering what to do next! BEWARE!
Newly Homeless
Orlando, Florida
U.S.A.
We contracted with America's First Home in Summer 2004 to build a home. We were told that if we use their lender, they cover the closing costs.
We've been dealing with them for a full year, and STILL, NO HOME.
The first problem arose when we chose a model that according to one of their price sheets, had been discontinued months before we met with them. We were not notified that this house was discontinued until our interior design appointment 2 months later. They wrote us a NEW CONTRACT with a different model.
The second problem occured when we complained that after a full month of leaving messages, our sales person SARIBELLE SETIEN was not returning our calls. This caused a delay in filing for a building permit. They would not stand by the 3-4 months timeline they promised to build our home. They stated that THE CONTRACT said they can take up to 2 years before they are in violation.
The third problem came in when they rewrote the contract to add my spouse. We wanted this originally, but they advised us not to. After 5 months of thinking we were making progress with them, we were back at square one. Based on their sales pitch we should have been moved in by December/January. Instead, we were signing our THIRD CONTRACT to have the home built.
THE CONTRACT states that if we walked away from the deal, our deposit would be forfeited. We figured we would just finish the process and be done with them. Housing prices in our area are SOARING, and we didn't have much choice. Finally the home was completed. We did our final walkthrough, and signed off on the construction.
We provided them with all necessary documentation regarding savings, income, bank statements, etc. All of this information was misplaced, and we had to provide it again. We spent an entire month on this process. Even the day before the closing, we could not get a copy of our closing package to have our attorney review.
To our amazement, just hours before closing, we got a call from the builder stating that the price of our house would have to increase, because of an administrative error on THE CONTRACT we had been working from. The closing costs and other fees which they were supposed to pay would not be covered by them after all. The cost of the home went up $15,000! They gave us the following options:
a) bring this amount to closing (their lender has all of our financial docs and KNEW we did not have enough money to cover this)
b)let them rewrite the contract reflecting the higher price (which raises our monthly payment just out of our reach-INSTANT FORECLOSURE!)
c)default on the contract so they could sell the home at a much higher price (and after wasting a year, we are back to paying RENT).
When we voiced our dissatisfaction, Citizens Trust Mortgage, their lender called repeatedly to strongarm us into signing the new contract. The representative BEN BECKER even warned us not to bring a lawyer into the situation, because we would LOSE.
This company switches contracts to cover up their mistakes, and to increase their profits. They use unassuming customers to get the homes built, then sell them off to investors for higher profit.
We are sitting in an apartment with boxes wondering what to do next! BEWARE!
Newly Homeless
Orlando, Florida
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
anonymous
Cape Coral,Florida,
United States of America
RE:Newly Homeless from America's First Home
#2Consumer Comment
Wed, December 01, 2010
Dear Newly Homeless, I live in a America's First Home now and I toatally understand what you are going through. Me and my husband are going through a bunch of crap with Mr. Barry Frey too. We are supost to be under a rent to own program with them. that means the rent money is supost to pay for the price of the house. Our rent money in the past 3 years has not droped the price of the home. We are being screwed. If you want to locate Barry Frey is office # (239)495-8200 Address M.W Frey & Son Realty,Inc 10951 Bonita Beach Road Bonita Springs, Fl 34135 . That is his legel bussiness name now for a couple months then they change it again. Good Luck, Patriot home
Kevin
Houston,Texas,
U.S.A.
Your issue
#3Consumer Suggestion
Thu, July 21, 2005
Please contact your state attorney general's office about this company and lodge a formal complaint. In addition, I would cancel the contract. Since this is a material change, you still have the right to walk away from the contract, and should not be forced to settle with their terms or lose your deposit. I am in Texas and the laws in your area are different from ours. I would consult a real estate attorney on this matter or the state attorney general's office of consumer protection... If you cannot afford to do this, then try your local Legal-aid or one of the colleges with a law school to provide low or no-cost assistance to you
John
Dickson City,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
GET HELP!!! Federal law says a lender MUST give you a complete recap of the closing costs
#4Consumer Suggestion
Thu, July 21, 2005
Why are you such sheep? How can you let someone rob you and just sit there and take it? Federal law says a lender MUST give you a complete recap of the closing costs, IN WRITING within 72 hours of you applying for a loan. Companies like Wells Fargo(I am using them for illustration only because I know how their system works) put your application into their computer system and that system automatically generates the closing-cost packet which is mailed to the customer. This not some great thing by Wells-Fargo just them complying with Federal Law. This company bullied you because, like the good crooked salesmen they are, they knew you were weak and would not come after them. Don't let these CROOKS get away with this GO TO A LAWYER and get everything you have coming to you. Especially your self respect, which is worth more than money.
