Bank of America forecloses on house that couple had paid cash for
SPRING HILL — Charlie and Maria Cardoso are among the millions of Americans who have experienced the misery and embarrassment that come with home foreclosure.
Just one problem: The Massachusetts couple paid for their future retirement home in Spring Hill with cash in 2005, five years before agents for Bank of America seized the house, removed belongings and changed the locks on the doors, according to a lawsuit the couple have filed in federal court.
Early last month, Charlie Cardoso had to drive to Florida to get his home back, the complaint filed in Massachusetts on Jan. 20 states.
The bank had an incorrect address on foreclosure documents — the house it meant to seize is across the street and about 10 doors down — but the Cardosos and a Realtor employed by Bank of America were unable to convince the company that it had the wrong house, the suit states.
"Their own real estate agent told them, and nevertheless Bank of America steamrolled right ahead," said Joseph deMello, an attorney in Taunton, Mass., who is representing the couple. "This is a nightmare for anyone, and it affected my hard-working clients a lot." [Read story at TampaBay.com/by Tony Marrero].
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) has a lot of explaining to do. According to a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania woman, the bank took not only her home but also hung on to her parrot even after proof was offered Bank of America had the wrong house. The woman filed a lawsuit today against Bank of America.
Bank of America had ordered Snyder Property Services to ‘enter, seize, padlock’, ‘winterize’, and ‘take possession’ of the woman’s home because they believed it to be in default. The property service followed instructions and turned off the water, cut the power, and filled the drains with antifreeze. After the home was taken care of, the woman’s parrot was then taken from the home.
The woman, Angela Iannelli of Pittsburgh, arrived back at her home and found new locks on the doors, furniture and carpets that had been damaged, and her belongings strewn about. Most devastating, the parrot was gone. The plaintiff had been making her mortgage payments on time but contacted Bank of American, who did confirm the seizure of the home. They also admitted to knowing where the bird was located. The plaintiff states in her lawsuit that she continued to call to claim her bird but Bank of American told her to stop calling and hung up on her because they were ‘tired of hearing from her’. [Read story at AmericanConsumerNews.com].
Posted by Bruen
at 12:01 AM PST
Updated: Wednesday, 10 March 2010 7:02 PM PST
