It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. We have tried everything we could to gain their attention, but every single time, it falls on deaf ears. Including going up to the top of the food chain. This post is a complaint about my clients' home buying experience with Bowen Family Homes.
Back on May 15 2009, my clients close on both their homes: the sale of their former home and the purchase of the home they reside in now. 30 days prior to that, my clients wrote a contract to purchase a Bowen Family Home in Prosper TX. In their contract, Bowen agreed to add some additional items to the list as part of the sale. During the final walk-through, more items were added. All of these items were supposed to be completed prior to closing.
It is 165 days later that by Bowen Family Homes did not honor their part of the contract.
During these 165 days, my clients made numerous attempts to get them to perform on their contract. Phone calls to the builder who was suppose to oversee this list completed always get pushed back. Next week, next week. But next week never came. Phone calls to the higher up that oversee the Texas division of the Bowen Family Homes always get pushed to this "builder". By then, it falls on deaf ears again. My clients have made several connection with the entire Bowen company - from their corporate office in Georgia to Texas and right down to the builder. Phone calls, certified mails, emails, etc. All lead to No progress.
Today, October 27 2009, my clients filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
We closed on the property on Friday (May 15) with the expectation that Bowen will fulfill their responsibilities the following Monday (May 18) as agreed with the Builder. Looks like it's still not May 18 yet on the Bowen's calendar.
Here's the painful lession my clients learnt: Do not close on the house until all the repair items promised to be fixed will be taken care of. In hind sight, we feel that should have happened, but in the end, this is where we are at.
My clients recently added a new addition to their family. Instead of completely enjoying their new home with their children, their days are spent trying to resolve this issue with a company that will not take responsibility to what they agree to. They also know that the value of the repairs are not substantial enough to hire a real estate attorney to fight this for them. It is with their permission that I tell this story so that others do not fall into the same pitfall like they did.
So, the next time you want to buy a new home, do make sure you have all the repair items completed to your satisfaction prior to closing.
Bowen Family Homes did not take responsibility to performing to their side of the contract. They were paid and went on the merry way. During the sale, they made it very clear to my clients, that all warranty issues and contract to-dos will be handled professionally. Now, they will receive this BAD report from my clients and I. Think twice about doing business with companies that cannot will not take personal accountability with the utmost respect.
Please share your thoughts. I really want Bowen to start holding some personal accountability. Please help my clients so they can help put this behind them.
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Contact:
Loreena Yeo
Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY
(214) 783-2210
loreena@loreenayeo.com
Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.
Copyright © 2009 by Loreena Yeo (3:16 team REALTY)
Bowen Family Homes did not honor its contract & did not live up to their part of the bargain
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Loreena - I used to specialize in new construction homes (I say "used to" because all new construction has stopped here). At one point I represented 15 builders. I'm sad to say that more than half of them never came back to finish the punch list. I could beg, plead, yell, scream....didn't matter. No matter how hard they work to build the home, it's the small things leftover that can ruin their reputation, and they just don't seem to get it. Eventually, I quit selling for the worst offenders. It's not a great feeling to run into a buyer after the sale at a restaurant and feel like they're glaring at you, when you've done the best you can. It's not worth it. It's my reputation on the line as well, and I am now very careful whose home I put my sign in front of. I wish your clients the best of luck. Unfortunately, the only way to MAKE the builder perform, is to have the Courts order him to.