I am so very stupid to have purchased a home from these people. At the time, I was a single mother of three and I did not make too much money, but I was tired of throwing my money away on rent. I went to craigs list and found this home from Randy Lamb homes. I met with him and the home looked nice. When we set down to sign the contract, he stated that the central air unit was not hooked up because people were stealing them in the neighborhood and he didn't want mine to become stolen. Then he told me how the home was appraised at $105,000 which was well over the market value.
Everything from my eye looked good in the place. He told me that the roof was quite new and that there were not problems. The most dangerous thing that he said was...."I don't see any need for a home inspection becasuse everything is new and I will be paying for you a warranty for one year just to prove it to you." I should have jumped up and ran away at that point. I thought this was too good to be true. I allowed this man to help me with the financing and everything. On my Good Faith Estimate, I had a estimate at 5%, but then I closed through his people after I had already got rid of my previous resident and really didn't have anywhere else to go, the interest was at 7%, I had no option but to take it or be homeless.
Then when I moved into the home on July 2, I realized that the air was not hooked up, like he said he would do once I signed. I moved in the home the same day that I closed on the home on July 2. He sent someone out to hook it up and it did not work. A couple of days passed with over 100 degree whether and still no air. I was then told by the man he sent out that the furnace needed a blower. The guy went and took a blower out of one of Randy's other homes and put it into this and it still did not work. Then when it was time for the gas company to cut on the gas, I then found out that the furnace was previously red tagged a couple of months, In RANDY LAMB's name.
The gas company gave me a copy of the red tagg that was assigned a couple of months ago to the same exact furnace. When I told him about it, he stated that I own the home and that I was getting a major good deal on the home. He also informed me that it is my responsibility, because I was now the home owner. When asked about the warranty that was agreed upon in the contract, he stated that he would provide a warranty if I went half on it with him. This was not fair, he put in the contract that he would provide a warranty on all appliances for up to the first year at his cost, now he was changing his mind. I got an attorney to advise me of how to deal with him, so after following his advise I was given a warranty. I thought that I had to pay a $75 deductible and then I could get the furnace fixed. So the man from the warranty company came out to look at the furnace, and he stated that we would get carbonmonoxide poisioning if we continued to use the furnace and the best thing to do would be to just replace it.
So here I am on less then a week after purchasing this home, with no air, no furnace and now having to replace a furnace with no money and three children. On July 2, we had rain, what do you think happened. The inside of the house leaked rain. It had obviously been covered up. The ceiling on the upper level in four places was dripping rain all in the inside of my home for two days. I went into a depression and a crying fit for making such a horrible move into this home without an inspections. But that is not the worst of it. Prior to purchasing this home, I told Randy that I noticed a mold smell in the basement, a finished basement, that I was going to use as my daughters room and a rec room. He informed me that he was going to treat this and that he would take care of it. He told me that he had a chemcal that would kill the mold and it would be safe and OK.
I was worried about the safety of my children and I actually trusted this man. I called Randy prior to me closing, I was actually on my way to the closing of the home and I asked him if he had taken care of the mold issue, and he said yes, it was all taken care of. I trusted him like a fool, and I signed the papers anyway. To make a long story short, the little furniture that I did put down there has mold growing up the sides of it and it is all ruined. My children have to all share rooms. The base boards now have all dark green spots on it, my daughters clothes are all ruined, and everything is ruined. We do not go down there. I got a horribly high estime in the high thousands to come and fix it. I am praying to God that I get enough money from the home take credit to repair everything. It is not October and we have not basement, furniture, nor heating system. My daughters who are 10 years different in ages have to share rooms, and all my basement furniture is ruined. If you thought I was through, you need to think again. There is a serious gas leak.
I did not notice it viewing this home because there was not gas on, but there is a gas leak, and I have no money because I am trying to save up for a furnace to get it fix. I make my children sleep with the windows up and their doors closed. I have fell into a state of depression because of the ripoff that I experiened from this man. But the last issue that I had later came from me when I decided to look up mortgage fraud to see if there was anything or anyone who can help me, because I did neglect to get an home inspection. I realized that he did commit mortgage fraud and I am going to find someone to help me. The way he committed it was, he sold me a home, the bank owner was a good friend of his, the appraiser was a good friend of his also. I believe that I was victim of a scam which may have involved several people. Please watch this man before you fall victim also.
cj
United States of America#2Consumer Suggestion
Fri, October 08, 2010
It seems the lesson for both parties, is to use professional services when buying or selling a home. It is very unfortunate for you Ms. Homebuyer, what has happened. If you had used a real estate agent, they would have ensured that you had a proper inspection and used a reputable lender.
It is a shame that seller talked you out of having an inspection. If anyone claims that their home does not need an inspection, that should be your biggest clue that something is wrong.
I don't believe the home seller intentionally scammed you on all issues, I think he himself did not know about many of the issues with this house and passed on the problems to an unsuspecting buyer.
It is also a shame that the warranty company will not honor the warranty on the furnace. They are notorious about claiming to insure items, then trying to weasel out of their coverage later.
Most home purchases are as is, and your only option for having repairs made is usually during the escrow period (before closing), but if you feel that the seller intentionally withheld material facts regarding the home, you should contact a real estate attorney in your area or at least a legal clinic.
Anotherscamfound
kansas city,#3Consumer Comment
Wed, April 21, 2010
Kansas Gas Service, is the person who told me that this furnace was red tagged. I was even showed the red tag report that was in the company name of "Randy Lamb Homes." The ceiling has now caved in, and Travelrs insurance and a roofer that I hired came out and told me that the damage was old to the roof. This is not covered by the insurance company so there is another $7000, that I have to pay.
I never said that an attorney contacted him. I stated, "I got an attorney to advise me of how to deal with him." The attorney told me what I needed to do. I stand by my original claim that this was a bad idea. And he informed me that the banker was a friend of his who wants to help me get a loan, and he stated that the appraisal was done by a good friend of his also. I should have gotten an inspection anyway.
I am not trying to bash a good business. I am just telling my story what happened to me. I believe that everyone should get a home inspection and not believe what the home seller is saying. I did get a sellers discloser, and it states that the their were no problems with the roof, furnace, A/C, appliances or anything else that I have mentioned. Kansas Gas Service can verify that there was a red tag in his name. There is also a huge hole in the chimney. This home has been a headache, and I wish I had gave my money to someone else. Now my children and I am struggling everyday to make sure that we can survive in a house that is definately a lemon.
Randy
Prairie Village,#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Thu, October 08, 2009
I believe that I sold Ms * a nice home at a great price. The home appraised at $105,000. I sold the home for $84,000; $21,000 below appraisal. Well below current market value! I purchased the home in February, 2009, in foreclosure and rehabbed and updated. The roof was in good condition. I installed a new cherry wood kitchen cabinets, ceramic tile kitchen floor, appliances, new bathroom fixtures, finished the basement, installed new carpet and exterior/interior paint, lighting fixtures and blinds throughout; etc. Ms. * is not just a single mother that she described, she and her fiance were both moving into the home together.
Open Mortgage did not do her loan. She was declined due to a bankruptcy she had in 2007. I told her to contact another bank that I had done business with because this particular bank looks at home loans on a case by case basis, and they decided to give her a loan. Otherwise, she would not have qualified by most bank standards or FHA guidelines. They are not a personal friend, just a bank that I had done business with. She did not have the money for closing costs, which I paid for. The president of the bank did a final walk through before closing to verify the work. I have never even met the appraiser, and the appraisal was done before I even purchased and rehabbed it, and appraised it for $105,000 before rehab. She closed and moved in on July 2, 2009.
There was a problem with the air conditioner unit when we went to set it, as I did not have it set until she closed, because the A/C units in the area were being stolen, and I did not find out there was a problem until it was installed. Given it was the 4th of July, a holiday weekend, I had trouble finding an air conditioning repair person on a holiday weekend. It was fixed three days later. Her fiance told me that it was not a problem because they were going to be out of town camping.
I did promise her a home warranty. I did try to get her to pay half because of the extra expenses I ended up having to pay for (closing costs) and also discounting the home and selling much cheaper that I had planned on. However, I did end up paying for the warranty and had it effective as of July 3, 2009, one day after she moved in.
I am not sure who has told her that the furnace is bad. There was never a red tag on the furnace. However, there was a red tag on the hot water heater, which I did replace. This can be confirmed by the City of Wyandotte County. I believe that she is a victim of the repair man she called; being up-sold something that she really does not need, a new furnace.
As far as the mold, I stated to her that the basement will get some water with excessive rain, being that it is an older stone foundation. She should have gotten window well covers for the basement windows. This is something that needs to be taken care of as a homeowner. She has never had an attorney contact me. I sold her a nice home at a very good price. I am sorry that she is unhappy but I have tried to help her out as much as I could. I take pride in my homes and have sold several homes to very satisfied customers.