A 79-year-old Houston woman took a realtor to court because she says she was scammed.
Barbara Rose, a great-grandmother of 20, wanted to sell her house so she could move to Tennessee to be with her large family. She accepted an offer of $168,000 from Nikola Knezevic with HomeBuy Solutions. He told her she would net $108,000 due to liens on her home. Instead, she got $48,000.
When the money hit her account she tried to contact him, but he would not return her calls. So she took him to court. She says she has not touched the $48,000 and tried to return the funds. Her attorney David Tang says HomeBuy Solutions would not take it.
Tang says experts proved to the jury her home was worth $250,000 to $300,000. The panel of six found for Rose.
"The jury found their conduct was fraudulent and was against the community standards," Tang said. "We don't want people scamming and ripping off others in Harris County. And they assessed $400,000 in punitive damages to show their displeasure with the bad and fraudulent conduct."
Tang warned homeowners to be wary of companies that offer to buy a house, quickly, and for top dollar.
"When anybody tells you you can trust us, we'll give you the best deal, especially if they're on the other side you should consult with someone else," Tang said. "Their goal is to get the lowest price possible and yours is to get the most. That's at odds, especially when they tell you you don't need help. It's basically like going to a gunfight and they tell you you don't need a gun, just trust us. We won't shoot you."
Rose has moved to Tennessee and as Tang said, is just trying to retire in peace.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
