Expert: Dick Dennis - 10/26/2011

Question
11 years ago I put 21,000 down and signed a land contract. The seller was a realistate agent so I felt pretty safe. I had also known the family for 20 years. I made every payment for almost 11 years I have never been late and I have payed for all repairs. The house belonged to 3 siblings one of the siblings 5 years AFTER I signed contract got into trouble and a lein was put against the house. I now want to pay the house off I owe 78 thousand. I hired a lawyer to go to us attorney and ask if they will remove lein. Thay said no!!! they say I was involved in scam...I WAS NOT!!! they want the full amount of city assest value which is 224,000. The houses on my street are selling for about 199,000 they want me to pay them about 50,000 dollars to keep my house. They refuse to acknowledge the land contract or give me credit for 21,000 down or 11 years of payments. What can I do? Thank you in advance Cindy Schott

Answer
There is really only one thing you can do, Cindy, and that is get yourself a REAL ESTATE attorney who knows what he/she is doing. This is not going to be inexpensive.

However, there are a couple things I would like to know. Was that real estate agent one of the three siblings who owned the house? What kind of scam are they accusing you of? You don't say what kind of trouble that sibling got into. Was it with the government? If it was, you really have to get a GOOD real estate attorney. A lot of negotiating is going to have to be done. You now know why you should never buy real estate with a land contract. I do wish you well.

Dick Dennis
dixiedee13@aol.com