homeownership

We've recently reported on the problems that homeowners at Harbor Walk are having due to tainted, Chinese-made being used in their new condos. Some of the homeowners have filed a lawsuit against the developer, and recently a professional builder was hired to inspect the drywall.

According to The Virginian-Pilot, recent inspects have shown that its going to take millions to repair the condos that have been made with the product which has caused many problems.

Homeowners have said that the drywall corrodes electrical systems, like AC units which have been replaced numerous times, and that the drywall makes people sick.

This is a good story for any homeowner who has difficulty with developers, builders or contractors to follow because the key to resolution is education.

"Sen. Mark Warner and the nation's top consumer safety official toured homes built with Chinese-made drywall Monday and learned at least one thing about residences that have had problems: It's going to be expensive to fix.

One local home builder told the visitors that her company will spend more than $5 million to repair condos made with the product.

Helen Dragas, president and chief executive of The Dragas Cos., told the lawmakers her company is spending about $70,000 on each of its 73 condos in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach built with tainted drywall.

Homeowners have complained that the drywall corrodes electrical systems and makes people ill. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating the complaints and air-quality issues related to the drywall and hopes to release its findings in coming weeks, said Inez Tenenbaum, the commission's head."

Read the full story.

And, read our most recent post on the issue.

Homeowners at Harbor Walk condominums are facing a number of problems with their newly built condos, and have filed suit against the developer, according to the Virginian Pilot.

Harbor Walk grew out of Norfolk's push to redevelop East Ocean View into an upscale waterfront community. The site is a former mobile-home park and long a target of the city's redevelopment efforts.

Sadly for these homeowners receiving the truth about the construction of their homes and a resolution to make them safe likely won't happen until after going to court.

"One week after three homeowners at Harbor Walk condominiums filed suit over the use of Chinese-made drywall, the Ocean View community's developer wrote a letter to City Councilman W. Randy Wright with a simple message: It was abandoning the project.

'The Henin Group... will no longer be your point of contact for any matters relating to Harbor Walk Development LLC,' Jerome Henin wrote on May 8.

Henin's company had taken over the development a year and a half earlier.

In April, several homeowners discovered that their condos were built with Chinese-made drywall that is said to emit a corrosive gas that damages household electrical systems and may cause respiratory problems. They joined a long list of residents already dealing with damage done to their units by water intrusion that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix.

Since the suit was filed in May, seemingly everyone involved in Harbor Walk Development LLC has sent letters denying responsibility for the problems and pointing fingers elsewhere."

Read full story.

If you are not a homeowner, but really hoping to buy a home soon - or you know someone who is wanting to buy a home, then this release from Chesterfield Observer will be of benefit to you. The Virginia Housing Development Authority will be hosting free classes on homeownership in Chesterfield later this month.

"Interested in becoming a homeowner, but don't know where to begin? The Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) and local nonprofits will offer free homeownership education classes that cover topics, including credit issues, personal finances, home inspections and the role of lenders and real estate agents. The completion of a homeownership education class is required of all borrowers before applying for a VHDA home loan.

The following classes are scheduled:

• Aug. 17 and 18, from 6-9 p.m., at the Holiday Inn Koger Center, 1021 Koger Center Blvd. For details, call Jackie Johnson at 898- 1336.

• Aug. 22, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at Chesterfield Towne Center, 11500 Midlothian Turnpike. Class is located next to JCPenney. For details, call Alfreda Wonson at 869-3412.

• Aug. 29, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at Chesterfield Towne Center, next to JCPenney. For details, call Marianne Weddington at 330-9800.

Call in advance to be sure a class has not been cancelled. For a complete list of classes, visit www.vhdafreeclass.com. A complete list is available in Spanish at www.clasegratisvhda.com."

Read original article.