Case Study: Julie’s Story – Overcoming Contractor Liens and Foreclosure
The Challenge: A Perfect Storm of Disasters
Julie’s homeownership journey took a devastating turn during the 2021 hard freeze when burst pipes caused significant water damage throughout her home. What should have been a manageable insurance claim became a nightmare that would consume the next several years of her life.
Initially, Julie did everything right. She hired a remediation company to address the water damage, then contracted with a construction company to restore her home. But the contractor who seemed professional at first gradually stopped showing up, left work unfinished, and eventually stopped communicating entirely. Julie was left living in a house with no carpet, half-finished rooms, and furniture awkwardly positioned around incomplete work areas.
The situation worsened when the pandemic hit. Julie lost her job and could no longer afford her mortgage payments. She managed to secure forbearance from her bank, providing temporary relief, but eventually received notice that forbearance was ending and full payments would resume immediately.
With no income and no savings, Julie’s only option was to sell her home and use the proceeds to find new housing. The equity in her home represented her lifeline to financial stability.
When Big Companies Fall Short
Julie reached out to a large national house buying company that seemed like the perfect solution. They offered a fair price and moved quickly to get under contract. For weeks, everything appeared to be progressing smoothly, and Julie began to feel hopeful about her future.
Then came the devastating news during the title search: the contractor who had abandoned her project two years earlier had placed a lien on her property. The title company made a cursory attempt to contact the contractor’s company, discovered they had gone out of business, and immediately placed the burden back on Julie.
“You’ll need to find them yourself to get the lien released,” they told her.
After weeks of Julie’s unsuccessful attempts to locate the contractor, the national company terminated their contract. Julie was back to square one – now missing multiple mortgage payments, with no income, and unable to access the equity in her home that represented her only path forward.
The suggestion to “hire an attorney” felt like a cruel joke to someone who couldn’t afford her basic living expenses.
When Others Give Up, We Get to Work
When Julie found us through a Google search, she was at her lowest point. We listened to her story and immediately understood that this wasn’t just about buying a house – it was about rescuing someone from a financial catastrophe caused by an unscrupulous contractor.
We got to work immediately, conducting our own investigation into the contractor’s background. What we discovered was alarming: this contractor had been featured in local news for scamming homeowners, had changed his company name three times in the past three years to avoid accountability, and was actively being sued by other victims.
While other companies saw this lien as an insurmountable problem, we saw it as a challenge we were uniquely equipped to handle. We have the resources, persistence, and expertise to navigate complex title issues that derail other transactions.
Persistence and Negotiation
Through extensive research and networking, we managed to track down the contractor despite his attempts to avoid responsibility. What followed was intensive negotiation – a process that required patience, legal knowledge, and unwavering commitment to Julie’s success.
The contractor initially resisted, but we persisted. We leveraged our understanding of lien law, the contractor’s vulnerable legal position due to his other ongoing lawsuits, and our negotiation skills to reach a resolution.
After weeks of back-and-forth communication, we successfully negotiated the lien release. The contractor agreed to remove the lien, clearing the title and allowing Julie’s sale to proceed.
The Outcome:
When we called Julie to tell her that the lien release was signed and she was free from this burden, she broke down in tears of relief and gratitude. After years of stress, uncertainty, and financial hardship, she could finally move forward with her life.
Julie received the full proceeds from her home sale, giving her the financial foundation she needed to secure new housing and rebuild her life. More importantly, she regained her peace of mind and faith that there are still companies willing to fight for their clients.
Why This Matters
Julie’s story illustrates a fundamental difference in how we approach challenging transactions. While other companies – even large national firms – walk away when they encounter obstacles, we view complex problems as opportunities to demonstrate our value.
We don’t just buy houses; we solve problems that prevent people from moving forward with their lives. Julie’s case required:
- Investigative work to track down an elusive contractor
- Legal expertise to navigate lien release procedures
- Negotiation skills to resolve a contentious situation
- Most importantly, the commitment to never give up on our clients
Our Commitment to You
If you’re facing a challenging situation with your property sale – whether it’s liens, title issues, property damage, or time constraints – we have the experience and dedication to find solutions where others see only problems.
We understand that behind every difficult transaction is a person whose life has been disrupted. That’s why we don’t just make offers; we make commitments to see our clients through to successful resolutions, no matter how complex the situation.
Your success is our success, and we’ll work tirelessly to ensure you can move forward with confidence and peace of mind.