By Joyce Lobeck | Yuma Sun
An out-of-town law firm has been soliciting Yuma homeowners regarding alleged construction defects in their neighborhoods and inviting them to join an investigation that could result in a financial recovery of several thousand dollars.
Sound like Christmas?
Maybe so, but in the end it’s not free money for the homeowner. And it can have repercussions that impact the entire community, warns Ken Rosevear, executive director of the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce, who saw a similar situation take place in Imperial County while he was a businessman there several years ago.
“I witnessed it firsthand. A law firm comes in, recruits clients, files lawsuits claiming construction defects, gets a big settlement, takes their cut and leaves town.”
But it may backfire on homeowners who participate, said Rosevear. That’s because after they pay their attorney one-third of any recovery plus his costs, expert fees and expenses, the homeowner doesn’t have enough money to make the repairs. That becomes an issue when the homeowner tries to sell the house and is required to disclose that it has unrepaired “defects.”
If you’d like to discuss real estate matters, contact RLG founder Jordan Rose, jrose@roselawgroup.com
