Eyewitness News ABC24
Woman Claims: Bad Builder
Tenn: Lisa Bostic says the  foundation is cracked and her new home is making her sick.  Lisa Bostic says she doesn't want it fixed.  She wants out of the house. Construction defects and mold... - Possible Construction Scam: Bobby Earl Scam artists - Beware of construction worker con. Bobby Earl says lock'em up... See News Video 

State cites fraud in shutting title companies
State regulators said Friday they shut down a mortgage fraud scheme that might have cheated Chicago area residents out of title to their homes. Officials said the fraud involved a loan originator from the South Side, a mortgage broker with a downtown office and seven interconnected title insurance companies based in Palatine. They said the scheme was so complex that they're still trying to sort out how many homeowners might be affected.

Let qualified builders construct affordable homes
As president of the Builders Association of South Florida, I speak for its members in expressing our gratitude for the House of Lies investigation, which uncovered the trail of money squandered at the expense of taxpayers and the poor in our community. The BASF also is concerned about the use of the term ''developer'' in the series. Most of those who received money from the Miami-Dade Housing Agency to develop affordable housing are neither developers nor home builders. They are not legitimate members of, nor do they represent, our industry.

Renters no more
Despite being in the U.S. illegally, undocumented immigrants can legally buy a house. Certain lenders don't ask for immigration papers. And buyers using a special tax ID often don't need a lengthy credit history.

Miami's Poorest Protest Agency Cronyism, Corruption
Groups demand accountability and civilian oversight of the local housing agency after Miami officials were reported to have squandered millions in affordable housing funds. We're beyond a crisis. It's a complete disaster at this point...

Business Report - Real Estate
Poll: Not much interest seen in homes from big builders
Real Estate Weekly readers aren't interested in buying the thousands of new houses that will be built by national builders such as D.R. Horton and KB Home. Sixty-two percent of the people who responded to an on-line survey say they won't buy a house from the regional builders, but 38% say they will. More than 225 people participated in the survey.

Home building commission continues to draw fire
The Andrews case underscores the debate over the Texas Residential Construction Commission, which has been criticized by consumers and an outside review as a toothless bureaucracy created to protect builders. Once the commission process has been exhausted, usually within a few months, a builder who loses cannot be compelled by the commission to make the repairs. The outside review by the state comptroller found that the overwhelming majority did not...In a survey of affected homeowners, the report said 86 percent of the respondents said the builders did not fix the defects confirmed in the state inspections. It also concluded that the law provides no way to hold builders accountable for shoddy building practices and described the agency's building standards as "overly lenient."

Agency's sanctions of builders don't go far
A state agency designed to bring more accountability to Texas home builders recently -- and with much fanfare -- released a list of 49 builders that the agency has penalized. But none of the penalties levied by the Texas Residential Construction Commission have anything to do with improper home-building practices, nor had the agency taken steps to identify them on its Web site...Instead, all of these infractions are for the bureaucratic failure to register with the agency. The penalties announced this month are in addition to penalties the agency has given to builders in the past. Those also focus on registration rather than home-building problems.

Sinkhole legal issues remain unresolved
At the same time the Collins family was celebrating the first year in their new home on Giannetti Drive in 2004, the earth literally opened up and appeared ready to swallow their house... When the repair and resurfacing work wrapped up last summer, the Collinses found themselves with a home they fear they have little chance of selling.

HE CAME, HE WORKED, HE RUINED LIVES. MEET DAVID VICKERS, PROFESSINAL CONTRACTOR

Palm Beach County woman says her dream house makes her sick
"The builder knows there is this mold in my house, he knows there are these toxins, he knows that the mold in the house matches the mold in my blood, but he won't do a damn thing," said Amaral, 47. "All I want him to do is buy my house. Let me and my family move on so I can get a clean house."  The Amarals first alerted the builder to their mold problem in January, meeting personally with officials and sending e-mails requesting help.

Central Texas News 6 - New AC Repair
Problems Gary & Lorie Kreder, were looked forward to using their new home in China Spring, Texas to beat the heat...  A/C Expert Steve Wiggins says... See news report video http://www.kcentv.com/video/7-31/mon/ac_731.wmv.  See Quality Air Care websites Hall of Shame photos, Frequently Asked Questions & Controversial Issues. 

Mortgage Company Owner Charged in Massive Fraud Case
24 people face charges in an identity theft ring where some participants, including a mortgage company owner, were involved in a mortgage fraud scheme on 180 properties.  The fraud scheme may end up costing mortgage lenders as much as $11 million. Philadelphia prosecutors allege that of the group of 24 involved, 10 people led by Allen Smith were charged with aggravated identity theft and bank fraud for using the personal information of hundreds of Commerce Bank, M&T Bank, PNC Bank, and Wachovia Bank customers.

Monday Morning Mold (Mycology) - July 31, 2006