Houston Woman Loses $270,000 House Over $420 Bill
State Senator Wants To Outlaw Non-Judicial Foreclosures
POSTED:UPDATED: 5:35 pm CDT May 4, 2005
HOUSTON -- A Houston woman lost a $270,000 home she owned free and clear because of a $420 debt to a homeowner's association, Local 2 reported Wednesday.
She just spent $48,000 renovating it. "It has hardwood floors, granite countertops, stainless appliances and all new tile in the bathroom," Bernhardt said. The Briarhills Homeowner's Association sold it after Bernhardt did not pay a $420 assessment fee. "I was just sick about the whole thing," Bernhardt said.
"I learned that the sale of the house was $1,600 and I had the house listed -- at the time that I found out it was not mine anymore -- it was listed for $269,900, and we had two full-priced offers coming in that day."
The homeowner's association said it mailed several foreclosure notices to Bernhardt who owned the property clear of any liens.
The Swallowfield house is one of three rental properties Bernhardt owns with her husband.
"None of it should happen because a phone call, a knock on a door, there's many ways to get in touch with someone if you can't find them, and it's not strictly by one or two or three letters," Bernhardt said.
By the time she found a note on the door that the house had been sold, she had missed the 180-day grace period that the state Legislature enacted for homeowners to buy back their property.
"The auction (for my house) consisted of one person," Bernhardt said.
The Briarhills Homeowners Association said it followed state property code, which did not require a judge or court action. State Sen. Jon Lindsay wants to outlaw non-judicial foreclosures by homeowner associations. He wants to ensure all foreclosures go before a judge.
POSTED:
HOUSTON -- A Houston woman lost a $270,000 home she owned free and clear because of a $420 debt to a homeowner's association, Local 2 reported Wednesday.
She just spent $48,000 renovating it. "It has hardwood floors, granite countertops, stainless appliances and all new tile in the bathroom," Bernhardt said. The Briarhills Homeowner's Association sold it after Bernhardt did not pay a $420 assessment fee. "I was just sick about the whole thing," Bernhardt said.
"I learned that the sale of the house was $1,600 and I had the house listed -- at the time that I found out it was not mine anymore -- it was listed for $269,900, and we had two full-priced offers coming in that day."
The homeowner's association said it mailed several foreclosure notices to Bernhardt who owned the property clear of any liens.
The Swallowfield house is one of three rental properties Bernhardt owns with her husband.
"None of it should happen because a phone call, a knock on a door, there's many ways to get in touch with someone if you can't find them, and it's not strictly by one or two or three letters," Bernhardt said.
By the time she found a note on the door that the house had been sold, she had missed the 180-day grace period that the state Legislature enacted for homeowners to buy back their property.
"The auction (for my house) consisted of one person," Bernhardt said.
The Briarhills Homeowners Association said it followed state property code, which did not require a judge or court action. State Sen. Jon Lindsay wants to outlaw non-judicial foreclosures by homeowner associations. He wants to ensure all foreclosures go before a judge.
http://www.click2houston.com/money/4450692/detail.html?rss=hou&psp=news
posted by Las Vegas at 5:29 PM
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