Last post I showed you the new door and window that replaced that trashy looking tarp on the front of our home office. Yesterday, Nick called me to let me know he had 3 pints of paint to finish it. Today I will be calling him to let him know the paint won't be necessary. We are losing our home and will be out of here by the end of January. Thank goodness we didn't spend a ton of money to fix up this place!
We had a pretty good case against the park owner for denying us tenancy, but now that the City has done away with all rent control leaving the park owner to charge what ever he chooses for space rent, there is no point in even fighting any longer. He has raised our rent over 300% and according to my lawyer, could raise it again every 90 days. I'll tell you, I just want to live in peace for a change. I don't know how these people who have been fighting with him for the last decade have lasted. Many of them didn't. And it's getting worse here everyday.
We've had quite a few just walk away from their homes. A couple people have died in the past. Their surviving family members swear it was the stress from the park that finally did in their loved ones. There are a couple now that have cancer and feel they don't have the strength to fight cancer and the park owner both, so they are walking away.
I have never known the old adage "there's no justice for the poor" as it has appeared in the mobile home park. The park owner and his lawyers have and are breaking laws at every turn, but there appears to be no way to stop him. People are either too intimidated to fight, afraid they will lose their leases, or they can't afford to fight the deep pockets of the park owner. His lawyers are known for inundating their opponents in paperwork until their opponents break. They are doing it to whole cities, what chance do little, low income, elderly people have? Not much I'm afraid.
I'll still be carrying on with the blog, but maybe with a little different angle and more tips. I'm not sure. We'll just have to see what direction God takes us. LOL
Starting Over Again
A New Year, A New Project, A New Direction
Happy New Year everyone! A New Year brings with it a chance for new beginnings, new projects, and new directions. Due to a "real estate deal gone bad" that is exactly where I am today.
The man that had bought my mobile home on an installment contract decided not to honor the contract and has moved out. The mobile home has reverted back to me to rebuild the whole inside which he completely gutted on the way out. All that's left is the shell. Definitely not resalable.
This is a picture of what used to be the kitchen, going into the living room. He took everything including the kitchen sink. LOL. The first time we were able to see inside the mobile and start to assess the damage was Friday, December 31st, which for a lot of people was essentially a holiday. We weren't able to get in as we need to get a locksmith to open and re-key the locks. I half expected this, but my boyfriend and partner in this project, was devastated. He could not believe anyone with any conscience at all could do something like this. I posted "No Trespassing" signs so if he should come back to do any more damage, I can call the police.
Normally, I would not be able to pursue a deficiency judgment against the buyer, but because he damaged the mobile home, it opens the door for me to sue him. It won't do much good as far as getting what he owes me, but it will be on his record for a minimum of the next 10 yrs.
All kinds of thoughts have been swirling around in my head. I need to look over my Homeowner's policy, which he never paid me for, and see if they will cover anything. We, like a good portion of America, have no savings so we will be doing this as cheaply as possible. This blog will be a record of our journey.
On Friday, just to ad insult to injury, I received a 3-day notice from the park owner for this man's past due rent and utilities. If I didn't pay it, the park owner could demand I move my mobile out of the park. This is just another $560.00 added to what he owes me.
Of course Saturday was New Year's Day and Sunday locksmiths and police non-emergency are closed, so we spent the weekend in the planning stages. We have decided in order to move our stuff out of the place we are in, we will need to put down flooring first. I had found free laminate on Craig's List, but didn't move fast enough. That is my first lesson learned.
Today I am giving my 30-day notice to the landlord, setting an appointment with the locksmith, setting an appointment with the police, and contacting my lawyer. Today I will find out if he took the toilet and shower along with everything else.