Black couple settle lawsuit as home value at $500k below real price

[Sadie]

If this is true Miller probably should have fought on....

I think with all the tragedy in her life, she just wanted the unending case to end. I am willing to be the $$ she had to pay was not huge. Karma will get the accusers.

 

[RCA]

I would almost bet there had to be an appraisal done before the work was started. Lenders can get in big trouble there if work is started before that lien is put in place. One of the first things I would have asked is what did your last appraisal come in at if you don't mind me asking?

Okay, you gave $X in the year xxxx. You spent $X in the year xxxx. How did your renovations go?

I have a problem to solve. I am going to solve it the best way possible. I would have asked homeowners many questions. If the homeowners liked their last appraisal, they would have likely said here is a copy of our last appraisal we want to give you. Okay, thanks. I still would have measured and everything else in the preliminary analysis.

No that didn't happen. He had FHA loans. To get an FHA construction loan - he would have to be working with licensed contractors. He did the work as an "owner-builder" - that is to say he was acting as the general contractor. That is allowed in California if you are building your own home. --- Is Austin Tate perhaps a licensed contractor? Well, his name does not show up in the list of licensed contractors for California. On Realist he does have FHA loans - but they were likely just refinances on the original home. So, it looks like that was the source of his funds and $40K of money from some private source.

 

[ucbruin]

I think with all the tragedy in her life, she just wanted the unending case to end. I am willing to be the $$ she had to pay was not huge. Karma will get the accusers.

I believe in Karma....
So I always wonder if Austin-Tate is her Karma....

Over 20 years after my divorce....
I still can't decide if my ex was my Karma or I was hers....

 

[RCA]

TAKE NOTE!!

https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Resources/GuidesAndPublications/OwnerBuilders.pdf

IF you are dealing with partial construction managed by an unlicensed "Owner-Builder" you cannot assume it will be completed without problems!!!

Make sure you have de facto FINAL INSPECTION - APPROVED.

 

[Fernando]

TAKE NOTE!!

https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Resources/GuidesAndPublications/OwnerBuilders.pdf

IF you are dealing with partial construction managed by an unlicensed "Owner-Builder" you cannot assume it will be completed without problems!!!

Make sure you have de facto FINAL INSPECTION - APPROVED.

My sister bought a house "remodeled" by owner. I don't think he was a contractor.
Her house had problems. I can't believe some of the unprofessional work done.
I heard the renovations caused so much stress that they eventually divorced.
I didn't know the history of the house when my sister bought her house.
I would have gave her my advice not to buy the house - bad remodeling work and too much negative energy in the house.

 

[RCA]

My sister bought a house "remodeled" by owner. I don't think he was a contractor.
Her house had problems. I can't believe some of the unprofessional work done.
I heard the renovations caused so much stress that they eventually divorced.
I didn't know the history of the house when my sister bought her house.
I would have gave her my advice not to buy the house - bad remodeling work and too much negative energy in the house.

There might have been some additional appraisals in the Miller case. It is quite possible that they did not properly consider the issue of permits, inspections and builder-owner managed construction. If there were such appraisals and they indeed did not take these issues into consideration ..... well, I would not want to be in their shoes. There are other issues as well. --- The truth will come out in the end. The State Board should be looking into this.

This **** happens enough, you should always be on the watch out for it. --- I recently told about the case of a Brazilian buying a recently dilapidated house that had apparently been recently "resurrected" with major remodeling w/o permit for his new American wife with kids to live in. ( I did talk to people in the Planning Dept who confirmed this. ) I brought this to his attention, he said to hold off on the appraisal, but a year later and the loan with through with another appraiser. .....

 

[Zoe]

No that didn't happen. He had FHA loans. To get an FHA construction loan - he would have to be working with licensed contractors. He did the work as an "owner-builder" - that is to say he was acting as the general contractor. That is allowed in California if you are building your own home. --- Is Austin Tate perhaps a licensed contractor? Well, his name does not show up in the list of licensed contractors for California. On Realist he does have FHA loans - but they were likely just refinances on the original home. So, it looks like that was the source of his funds and $40K of money from some private source.

Okay, I got lost somewhere in the shuffle. I thought this was a huge renovation. Like multi hundred thousand dollar renovation.

Maybe they had that much cash. I would have known that when I left the property. I would have let them know I may have to call them back before I completed the appraisal.

 

[Zoe]

Can you please show me your previous appraisal if you had one and provide an itemized cost list of the renovations you made?

I can always punt if I don't like answers to my questions. I don't have to complete the appraisal.

 

[Zoe]

I set SOW. Understand?

I am one of the most nicest people you would ever want to meet. But I set SOW on my appraisals.

These people seem very sweet in nature and I would have been likewise. But I would have been sweeter to them with me setting SOW.

 

[Fernando]

Can you please show me your previous appraisal if you had one and provide an itemized cost list of the renovations you made?

I can always punt if I don't like answers to my questions. I don't have to complete the appraisal.

When an owner had done extensive renovations, owner (even agent) provided me a list of what was done and even the costs.
I have no choice but to look at the information given to me to do the appraisal.