For many Floridians, home ownership is a key element of their personal aspirations and dreams. Often, buying a home can be viewed as a statement of commitment to family, as it is a way to provide them with safe, comfortable shelter. It is also a serious financial commitment which should not be undertaken lightly. When people put such an emotional and monetary investment into something, they deserve fair treatment in regard to what they purchase.
In Harlem, New York, a married couple who made just such an investment now find themselves in the midst of a dispute with a developer whom, they allege, sold them a home rife with construction defects.
The couple, who has two children, say they invested their life savings, took out a loan and enlisted the aid of family members in order to purchase, what they thought was, their dream home in 2010. The house, as they now describe it, has been anything but a dream. The floors, window sills and walls all started developing cracks not long after the family moved in. In addition, the gas boiler system was not installed properly and thus broke down.
Moreover, the couple report that the boiler room walls have mold, the basement needed waterproofing and there was a rotting tree in the backyard that had to be removed.
The couple’s lawyer states that at this point the house does not meet building code requirements and is likely unsellable. The couple wants $250,000 for the repairs. The developer has thus far offered no formal response to the situation.
Discovering construction defects in a home for which you sacrificed so much can be extremely stressful and disappointing. Some defects can be hazardous to the point where the house is simply not safe to inhabit. You are entitled to the home you were led to believe you were buying and as such you might consider legal action.
Florida residents should feel somewhat relieved to learn that their state has laws which afford homebuyers the right to demand repairs and compensation should they discover defects after making a home purchase. A Florida construction defect attorney may know the most direct approach in seeking to have those demands met.
Source: nydailynews.com, “Harlem family demands big bucks from Abyssinian Development Corporation to fix flawed pad,” Jan Ransom, July 7, 2014
