Hometown Builder goes out of business, help! (Wind Gap, Mars: real estate, to rent)

[jongig]

We've all heard this story and I never thought it would happen to me. We began the purchase of a home under construction back on 7/2/08 and we put the required down payment on the house to the builder and signed an agreement of sale. We were supposed to close on 8/22/08 and the house was supposed to be finished about then but now we find out from the builder that they are no longer in business. The bank is now in charge and I've spoken to them and I don't enjoy this. This is a Materials company out of Syracuse NY and I'm told that my money doesn't exist. They don't call back and I'm sure at this point that no one cares about us. I liked Hometown Builders and never thought they’d do this to us but I no longer sleep and our family is really suffering.

Forget about me and my wife but what about the 8 year old we promised a house and a pool to. I just don't understand why we have to be the ones to loose when this is our life’s savings and with having to rent 3 storage garages, enroll our son in North Pocono school district. This is awful what these people are able to do.

Anyone that can offer advice please do so because we need all the help we can get.

Thanks,

John
allstate@echoes.net

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

ASAP, get in touch with the PA Attorney General or a competent attorney to find out what you recourse is. Best of luck.

[poconoproud]

Besides the issues on the outside of the home that I can see need to be finished, what still needs to be completed inside? How much of your home is actually complete? How much of your money has been taken w/o finishing the job?

Highhat is right - get to the AG right away...

[Summering]

So it sounds like this home was already under construction when you put money down on it. Since you did this in July and the home would be ready in Aug.
Yes, you need a good lawyer. These builders must have known they were going under and still took your funds.
I just hate when I hear these horror stories. A few crop up here and there in PA.....
So many have lost money. Its just a sad, sad, thing.

[poconoproud]

I just went to their website. It tells consumers nothing about going out of business.
I have lived in the Pocono's my whole life, and I have never heard of this builder.
I agree with Summering....they entered into a contract with you knowing their business was going to close. John Molnar in Wind Gap is a very good real estate lawyer, and you sure need some back up.

[jar546]

This is absolutely disgusting and I feel for your family. I don't know how these companies can take money knowing they are in a financial mess. Hometown Builders have been around for a while. This is a surprise. Best of luck and my sympathy.

[littlebunnie69]

Originally Posted by poconoproud

I just went to their website. It tells consumers nothing about going out of business.
I have lived in the Pocono's my whole life, and I have never heard of this builder.
I agree with Summering....they entered into a contract with you knowing their business was going to close. John Molnar in Wind Gap is a very good real estate lawyer, and you sure need some back up.

I can not believe that there website doesn't say anything about going out of business, Which means people can be going to there website looking for a nice home and not even knowing the real story! That pisses me off

[poconoproud]

I have also heard that Matzel Developers & builders near LTS in Marshal's Creek has closed it's doors. Matzel is the developer that bought up all of defunct Eagle Valley Homes properties, after their fraud scandal. A friend of a friend who worked for Matzel went to work to find the building closed for good, and was informed the company went out of business - anyone know anything about that?

[poconoproud]

Originally Posted by littlebunnie69

I can not believe that there website doesn't say anything about going out of business, Which means people can be going to there website looking for a nice home and not even knowing the real story! That pisses me off

That's ok...posts like the original posters will get seen. When you google Hometown Builders now that he has posted his complaint at city-data, you will see his complaint on the first page of the search results ~ try it, it's the fourth one down. That is a good thing about city-data, they market this site very well. Even if people know nothing about city-data, if they were to google this business now, the real story will be known, and city-data will in all probability have itself another loyal poster.

[littlebunnie69]

Originally Posted by poconoproud

That's ok...posts like the original posters will get seen. When you google Hometown Builders now that he has posted his complaint at city-data, you will see his complaint on the first page of the search results ~ try it, it's the fourth one down. That is a good thing about city-data, they market this site very well. Even if people know nothing about city-data, if they were to google this business now, the real story will be known, and city-data will in all probability have itself another loyal poster.

Thank god!
Scary to think that somebody out there might still be getting scammed!