Family can't move into house they bought

[tyecopeland]

Story involves covid eviction issue and California law so might end up in dc.

https://www.foxla.com/news/couple-bu...orium-loophole

Added article in spoiler for those who don't like clicking links.

Spoiler!

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - When Tracie and Myles Albert purchased a beautiful four bedroom house in Riverside, California they never realized that at the end of escrow the seller would suddenly refuse to give up the keys and leave.

"It’s just draining, emotionally and financially," says Tracie. On January 31, 2020, the couple purchased the home. More than a year later, they still haven’t been able get inside their property. Chris Taylor is the Real Estate Agent who sold the house to the Alberts from a man who wanted to sell immediately.

"He needed $560,000 from the sale of his house in two weeks and he called me on a Sunday, so in traditional real estate there's no way of doing that unless the buyer’s a cash buyer," says Taylor.

Since the house was free and clear and worth more than $560,000 the Alberts felt it was a great deal.


"It took us scrambling to get everything we had, our life savings put together and a hard money loan on top of it to make that happen," Myles stated.



During escrow they discovered there was a $30,000 tax lien on the house which slowed things down, but in the end, all parties signed on the dotted line and the sale was completed.

"We own the house, outright. That's our house and it's all in a contract, written, legal, done. He's been paid the money in his account. How could we have no rights to go into our home," asked Myles.

FOX 11 News tried to speak with the seller but when reporter Gina Silva knocked and announced herself, no one came to the door.

Taylor says, "It’s genuinely unfathomable to me that we live in a state where something like this is even possible. They closed escrow on this home January 31, 2020." The Alberts and Taylor have contacted authorities and tried to get the seller evicted but because of the pandemic, they’ve gotten nowhere.

"They have this case under a COVID tenant situation, of no evictions when it doesn't fall under that at all. This transaction went through in January 2020 before any of that, it isn't a renter who was getting thrown out. It's the guy who collected all of this money," stated Myles.


Eviction Attorney Dennis Block says, "This year alone, we’ve handled at least 7 maybe 8 cases of this exact type of situation."

He says people purchasing homes need to be extremely cautious, especially if they notice any red flags during the process. Block says what’s happening to the Alberts could happen to anyone.

"This person is not a tenant, it’s a previous owner who is enjoying the benefits of the money that was transferred to his account but of course doesn’t want to move out of the premises that he no longer owns," Block stated.

The Alberts filed an unlawful detainer but because of the California eviction moratorium, the case has been stalled. Time is simply passing by and the immaculate house they fell in love with is now becoming an eyesore.

Tracie says, "I tried watering the lawn one time and he came out and ripped my sprinkler lines, ripped all the wires. The Palm trees are dying, everything was beautiful and everything is dying."

Her frustrated husband says when he contacted law enforcement, they told him, "If you were in Arizona, if you were in Nevada, this wouldn't be a problem, you would just go take your house back. But in California, like our hands are tied, even though we're on your side, there's nothing we can do."

[Perineum Ripper]

Have a couple friends put out sprinklers in the lawn, wait for him to come out to break them again. Wife and husband go into the house after he walks out, lock doors, call cops on the asshole for trespassing.

[threebag]

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

Two takeaways

1 - Don’t live in California.

2 - I’d **** the lady who bought the house.

If you’re claiming a dicking at least throw out her pic.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by T-post Tom

Interesting that the recalcitrant seller’s name doesn’t seem to be published anywhere. If I were the buyer, I would quietly plaster the seller’s name everywhere. Turn up the heat.

The homeowners probably do, but I assume for legal reasons the news agency can't.

God forbid they violate that thieving shitbag's right to privacy.

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by Frazod

The homeowners probably do, but I assume for legal reasons the news agency can't.

God forbid they violate that thieving shitbag's right to privacy.

It has to be on Facebook

[Pepe Silvia]

Sadly the laws are for the criminals. I feel terrible for them.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Hoover

I'd stalk the shit out of the house, and when he leaves I'd break in throw all his shit out.

What bull shit

If you did this you'd get really ****ed. He would tell the cops he's been living in this home for however many years etc. You're asked if that's true..it is..you're going to be told to remove him you have to go through legal channels because that is his established residence. You'd probably then be arrested for vandalism for doing anything to his stuff.

The laws that were written to protect tenants from landlords being douches are also used for these people, that's why you can't just do whatever you want.

[Red Dawg]

Cali is the worst state ever. ****ing pathedic. I would kill that mother ****er.

[wazu]

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

They should be able to have him arrested for criminal destruction of property.

That’s a great point.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Red Dawg

Cali is the worst state ever. ****ing pathedic. I would kill that mother ****er.

I don't even know if it's strictly a Kalifornia thing. As ****ed up as the country is right now this could probably happen anywhere. At least when it comes to urban areas.

[Bump]

its a scumbag thing to do, but really blame the law allowing this to happen.

[Frazod]

It really is amazing that common sense can't be used in a situation like this. It's not like this is some widow working three jobs with five kids to feed; it's a pure lowlife sitting on half a million dollars in somebody else's house.

Sadly, the only time you hear the phrase "common sense" used these days, it applies to something that's anything but.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Frazod

It really is amazing that common sense can't be used in a situation like this. It's not like this is some widow working three jobs with five kids to feed; it's a pure lowlife sitting on half a million dollars in somebody else's house.

Sadly, the only time you hear the phrase "common sense" used these days, it applies to something that's anything but.

Yeah, reading this earlier I was reminded me of a Dr. House quote... The whole point of the (criminal) justice system is to make things right when everything else fails.

And sadly, that's simply not true... sometimes you just need someone to stand up for what's right, and it shouldn't require a law degree or paying a lawyer $300/hr to figure it out.

[stumppy]

If the scumbag had to stay in a hospital a few days it would solve the problem. You just have to know the right people and your problems go away.

[TribalElder]

Oh yeah,

Reverse mortgages I've heard of those before

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

Two takeaways

1 - Don’t live in California.

2 - I’d **** the lady who bought the house.

Those are two hard facts.