42 replies to this topic

[ducky]

Are these the places that advertised themselves as "newly renovated"?

It sounds like a nightmare, especially for a young couple just starting out.

[FolsomBarb]

I am SOOOOOOOO glad I decided not to buy one of these. I lived there in the apartments from January, 1996 until we moved out in February, 2005. I was offered the "opportunity" to purchase my apartment, and went to many of the meetings that were held about how to do that. It took them forever to finally give us a "ballpark" figure as to pricing, and when they did, I was sadly disappointed. For my 2-bedroom, 900 SQ ft apartment, 2nd floor, 3 walls shared with other apartments (back and both sides), sharing the entrance patio with my neighbor, hearing them walk in and out all the time, and being able to literally feel every door that was shut/slammed in the building, the prices started at $260K. If you wanted upgrades, it went up from there. My building had previously had the mold problem in the lower apartments on the backside of my apartment, which fronted Natoma Station Drive. They sit lower than the street, and had become flooded several years ago. Supposedly it was confined to those 2 apartments, and those people had to move and leave all their furniture behind due to the mold. I would bet any amount of money that one of the buildings he speaks of as having Toxic Mold is the one I was in....

I decided in Jan. 2005 that I didn't think it would make for a good investment, for many reasons. The fact that they weren't built like condos (neighbors sharing entryways, detatched garages for some, not all, structural soundness, dry rot on the patios that had been replaced, and a year later was falling apart again. Also, there were many vandalisms taking place in the parking lots, since it wasn't a gated community. They said they would not be making it gated either.

I feel really bad for these folks. It's unfortunate that they got taken in by these "crooks".... We were all told that all of the appliances would be replaced with new ones, new tile, new windows, new carpet, etc., etc. Apparently that never happened from the sounds of it.

I thank my lucky stars that I followed my gut instinct on this one. If only they had already been living there in the apartments, they might not have purchased, knowing what I know.

[test]

"I would bet any amount of money that one of the buildings he speaks of as having Toxic Mold is the one I was in...."

240 Natoma Station Drive, Unit #23. Does that sound like the building that you lived in, or did they re-number all of the units once they sold them?

[FolsomBarb]

"I would bet any amount of money that one of the buildings he speaks of as having Toxic Mold is the one I was in...."

240 Natoma Station Drive, Unit #23. Does that sound like the building that you lived in, or did they re-number all of the units once they sold them?

I was in #56.....which I know isn't in the same building as 23. However, he mentions 4 buildings that are owner occupied that have the Mold. I know the building I was in is occupied, as I've driven past and seen evidence of people living there. I'm pretty sure they didn't change the numbering either.

When they started converting, they told us they were starting with building #1, then #2, then #3, and then #4, which was my building..... Building #1 started with Apartment #1, so I'm guessing #23 was in building 2.

[Jaxx]

Are these the places that advertised themselves as "newly renovated"?

It sounds like a nightmare, especially for a young couple just starting out.

They had new paint, carpet and appliances, but as you can see in the photos, not everything.
The bathrooms are obviously not totally new.

http://65.74.147.26/...DestCity=Folsom

[nhardy]

They had new paint, carpet and appliances, but as you can see in the photos, not everything.
The bathrooms are obviously not totally new.

http://65.74.147.26/...DestCity=Folsom

Hmm, I rented there 2 years ago when they were still Lakeridge Apts. Other than the new paint, crown molding and double paned windows, the units look exactly the same. Sucks to hear that those who actually bought condos there aren't happy.

[Michael Hughes]

Hey everyone . . . I found this forum just by chance . . . I am the Michael Hughes who's website you linked (I was just doing some more research on Waterford) . . . here are some comments to add clarficiation, new info, and more:

1) Didn't quit my job. I had to resign because of how much work I was missing due to fighting Waterford legally as well as having their warranty department out. We have had them out weekly to fix things. The latest problems in our unit are a bulging ceiling and warping doors.

2) Car financing, our old car died (after the car being broken into while in the complex in April) and we were forced to buy a new car. We had no savings to speak of because most of our savings had already been used to pay additional living costs, moving costs, etc which brings me to #3

3) Myself and my fiancee (whose is the borrower, and primary on title) is a mix of Mexican and Native American. Waterford Place jerked us around and we had almost a whole extra month we had to pay for at market rent for our old apartment (we were supposed to close escrow and move in December 05 before Christmas, didn't get everything finished until January 06), moving expenses, etc. They DID NOT reimburse us or an African American family who requested remuneration. However, two soley caucasian families did receive assistance within several days.

4) #23 is in building 2. The buildings that have mold are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and i believe 17. 1, 2, 3, 4 are owner occupied, buildings 10 or 11 through 22 are renter occupied and have been for almost the whole time construction has been going on.

5) This has left my fiancee and I financially strapped where we are having to hire a lawyer on contingency and pay out 25 - 30 % of our winnings.

6) Crown molding, hardwood flooring, granite, etc. was only to those who paid an additional $12,000 of which $6,000 was due at closing.

7) If anyone has any suggestions of agencies to talk to, lawyers who would work on a contingency for a little less or work something out, or just other suggestions in general, please throw them my way. My animals are getting worse by the day with my cat throwing up the equivalent of human excrement yesterday and constantly having convulsions. My dog has become worse as well, and well my fiancee's migraines and vertigo are leaving her with very little energy. Plus our neighbor's son started throwing up blood these past couple days and we just found the starts of MORE mold in our HVAC system. If we had the money (or money at all) to get out we would, but unfortunately its going to be a long legal battle.

I can say that we bought the 1BR/1BTH "Aran" at $199,000 standard, and it appraised for $220,000 in January. 100% financing, interest-only, we are paying out the wazoo (more than rent), but were advised by a Realtor that it was a good decision (who i will not mention) and we went forward with the purchase and it was the worst decision we ever made. We bought because it was central to our jobs, shopping, and they were supposedly adding a tennis court (since has become a parking lot), children's playground (two garbage dumpsters), several new gas barbeques (bring your own propane), and we were told it would become gated or have twenty four hour security (obivously hasnt).
They let over twenty people out of escrow when they decided to repartment them, and had seven to ten people come up with agents ready to purchase units the day they closed the sales office. Yet they sited poor sales as one of the reasons to repartment them. And less than 48 hours after they stopped selling, they already had new work crews in full HAZMAT suits inside of Buildings 5 - 8 gutting the entire building and "fixing" the mold.

A very harsh learning experience.

Also wanted to point out that the link to the article I wrote detailing all the drama at Waterford has changed:

http://www.powerinfu...es/thecondo.pdf

I put it in a pdf doc to make it an easier read and because I am consistently editing it for accuracy.

[FolsomBarb]

5) This has left my fiancee and I financially strapped where we are having to hire a lawyer on contingency and pay out 25 - 30 % of our winnings.


7) If anyone has any suggestions of agencies to talk to, lawyers who would work on a contingency for a little less or work something out, or just other suggestions in general, please throw them my way.

Give these guys a call.....
http://www.kcra.com/call3/index.html

Also, obviously you aren't the only owner having these difficulties.....perhaps you can locate a real-estate attorney who would be interested in filing a Class-Action suit on your behalf(s). Seems to me this is one of those situations that would warrant this, remembering Erin Brockovich.....Different issues, same types of effects on the residents who are suffering.

Michael, I really feel for you for what you and your fiancee are going through. I can honestly say, it could have been me, and the only reason it isn't is because I had lived there for 8 years and knew the history of these apartments, specifically the mold issue in building 4 (my building), which, when I inquired about it a few years before the condo conversion, was told it was only in the 2 apartments on the first floor, and didn't affect me (in #56, 2nd floor). Obviously that was either a lie, or they just didn't know any better. Since, to my knowledge, those apartments never flooded again after that year, it seems pretty obvious to me that the mold was never gone.....

I wish you luck with this...
Barb

[Michael Hughes]

Give these guys a call.....
http://www.kcra.com/call3/index.html

Also, obviously you aren't the only owner having these difficulties.....perhaps you can locate a real-estate attorney who would be interested in filing a Class-Action suit on your behalf(s). Seems to me this is one of those situations that would warrant this, remembering Erin Brockovich.....Different issues, same types of effects on the residents who are suffering.

Michael, I really feel for you for what you and your fiancee are going through. I can honestly say, it could have been me, and the only reason it isn't is because I had lived there for 8 years and knew the history of these apartments, specifically the mold issue in building 4 (my building), which, when I inquired about it a few years before the condo conversion, was told it was only in the 2 apartments on the first floor, and didn't affect me (in #56, 2nd floor). Obviously that was either a lie, or they just didn't know any better. Since, to my knowledge, those apartments never flooded again after that year, it seems pretty obvious to me that the mold was never gone.....

I wish you luck with this...
Barb

Thank you we will need it.

Found out last night (as I said) that our neighbor who shares a common wall, his son has started vomitting blood.

Well the original person interviewed in the newspaper, Miss Vernon, her sons have developed asthma.

As for class action, all lawyers we talked to will be treating each individual person separately. The lawyers we have talked to are kind of set on utilizing one lawyer right now who is charing around $1000 retainer + additional fees or approximately $250 / hr. We are seeking financial assistance or a lawyer who will work on contingency.

As for the mold, it is affecting people on both floors.

I hate to put you on the spot, but if we needed someone to testify about the fact that there was mold, would you or anyone you know who lived here be willing to either write a letter or testify to the extent of stating what you have told me.

[FolsomBarb]

I hate to put you on the spot, but if we needed someone to testify about the fact that there was mold, would you or anyone you know who lived here be willing to either write a letter or testify to the extent of stating what you have told me.

I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that, since the info about the mold was told to me, so it would be considered heresay, and I only knew the people in the one apartment in passing, never knew their names. We'd both been living there so long, that we often chatted in the parking lot, and that's how I knew about it.

I'm surprised that no lawyers would consider this as a class action.....usually there is no retainer needed and they work on a contingency basis for that type of case. Have you gotten together with the other owners who are affected? Perhaps there is more strength in numbers.....Just a thought.

If you contact Call3, they might be able to point you to a lawyer who could help you on a contingency...

Barb

[Michael Hughes]

I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that, since the info about the mold was told to me, so it would be considered heresay, and I only knew the people in the one apartment in passing, never knew their names. We'd both been living there so long, that we often chatted in the parking lot, and that's how I knew about it.

I'm surprised that no lawyers would consider this as a class action.....usually there is no retainer needed and they work on a contingency basis for that type of case. Have you gotten together with the other owners who are affected? Perhaps there is more strength in numbers.....Just a thought.

If you contact Call3, they might be able to point you to a lawyer who could help you on a contingency...

Barb

I will do that today. We have gathered all the owners ( around 41 ) of which around 30 or so wanted to go in on legal action together, however, most of the owners (20 +) have gone with one individual lawyer who does not work on contingency.

[bishmasterb]

Wow, tough situation. I assume you've considered selling but feel that it's highly unlikely since they've gone back to apartments for a lot of the units?

Have you looked into selling it to someone as an investment property, or perhaps renting it out yourself? With a $200K mortgage you should be able to come close to break-even.

Make sure you don't end up getting bent over a second time...by the lawyers and courts.

[DrKoz23]

If you do not have any luck with Channel 3... I would recommend contacting KOVR Channel 13 as well.

Kurtis Ming does a good job on consumer complaints as well. It is another avenue to consider. If you can get the media involved... this could really get the ball rolling! Good luck.

Here is his email address at Channel 13...

callkurtis@kovr.com

[FolsomBarb]

If you do not have any luck with Channel 3... I would recommend contacting KOVR Channel 13 as well.

Kurtis Ming does a good job on consumer complaints as well. It is another avenue to consider. If you can get the media involved... this could really get the ball rolling! Good luck.

Here is his email address at Channel 13...

callkurtis@kovr.com

I agree.....On all of the consumer complaints I have seen on one or the other channel, the person was getting nowhere until the media got involved and put it on the air. It's amazing sometimes how much that makes a difference. If Promethius starts getting bad press, they won't like it, and would probably want to do whatever it might take to make it "go away".....

I looked on www.kxtv10.com and couldn't find a link to anything of the same nature as the other two channels have. You might also consider trying to get the SacBee to do a story on this issue.... In my opinion, the more you get this story out there, the more the chance you'll have to find people who can help you out... especially if the story is presented from a large group of owners, not just one.

Just my .02 worth....

[Jaxx]

I wonder why the residents didn't all get together earlier for a class action rather than going on their own with all trying to do their own separate little lawsuits?
Probably wouldn't have had much problem finding attorneys to take a class action case on this issue.