Bad House Flipping Problems in Baltimore City

Watch the Video Below – House Flippers in Baltimore City take advantage of unsuspecting buyers and often sell flipped homes in dangerous conditions.  The law firm of Whitney, LLP has filed lawsuits against multiple house flippers in Maryland for tricking buyers into buying bad houses with hidden damage.

Compensation against flippers can include repair costs by a licensed contractor and compensation emotional distress, as well as punitive damages.

Flips are tempting, but hidden problems include termite damage, termites, mold, unlicensed work, electrical problems, plumbing problems and more. If you bought a flipped house in Maryland and discovered problems, give us a call for a Legal Consultation to discuss your options for compensation for paying for repairs and more.

The lawyers at Whitney, LLP represent home buyers and sue negligent and fraudulent house flippers.

Click Here to Read about Some of Our Settlements Involving Real Estate Claims and Flippers

Click Here to Read Other Blogs on Real Estate Cases and Issues

 We offer Legal Consultations. Call us at 410 583 8000, or use our Quick Contact Form, to discuss your potential case.  Here is our YouTube Channel for more videos.

Problems After Buying a Flipped House

The Video Transcript is Below, Edited for this Blog:

Hi, this is Dan Whitney with the Whitney Law Firm in Towson, Maryland. Today, we’re going to talk about the issue of dishonest and fraudulent house flippers in Baltimore City. I’m an attorney here in Maryland at the Whitney Law Firm.

There has been a tremendous uptick in the problem of house flippers buying terribly run-down houses in Baltimore City, putting a relatively small amount of work into the property and then flipping it for a huge profit to innocent and unsuspecting buyers. The new buyers do not realize that the house is simply a completely poorly-repaired home that has numerous problems, but with new paint and what looks like a new kitchen and bath bathroom, everything looks great. Who wouldn’t want it?

CNBC did a story as to the dangers in flipped homes in 2018 that rings true in comparison to the current increase in 2021 of flipped houses selling quickly.

House flippers that hide water leaks cause mold to grow.

Hidden Problems Discovered After Buying a Flipped House

Now, what are those terrible problems that clients have been contacting us about with flipped houses in Baltimore City? Many of the problems or the plumbing simply does not work. The electrical panel or electrical box is not installed. There’s loose wires. The electricity cuts out, and sometimes simply the repairs are just not completed, and a flipper will say, “Here, sign the contract. Let’s go to closing, and within 10 days or two weeks, I will fix problems one, two, and three.”

The problem is, of course, they get their money and run, and the client and the buyer is left to deal with these problems themselves, or try and chase down this bandit house flipper that’s taken the money and run onto the next house to deceive and cheat the next buyer.

Termite damage hidden behind drywall.

Lawyers to Sue House Flippers in Maryland

A buyer of  a flip is often is stuck unless they’re able to hire an attorney to go after the house flipper. That is something that we have been doing with some success. So, some of the issues that we see in the house flips, are of course, the plumbing is done, the electrical’s done, both done wrong, tremendous mold problems sometimes, especially in Baltimore City, there’s issues with water intrusion and waterproofing is either not done or extremely poorly done.

Of course, any of these things, bad plumbing, bad electrical wiring, water intrusion, and mold are going to cause a complete nightmare for the poor family or the poor individual who’s moved in thinking they’ve got this beautiful rehabbed home and really it’s just a piece of junk.

Daniel W. Whitney, Sr. and Daniel W. Whitney, Jr. of Whitney, LLP

No Permits Pulled on the Flipped House

We often also find that no permits were electrical work, for a building permit, or for plumbing.The work isften it’s done by unlicensed contractors who do not have the necessary training, and are simply not licensed to be doing the type of work they’ve been hired to do.

When a company that flips houses or an individual that flips houses hires contractors, or individuals to do work, and they’re not licensed,  and they don’t cause the permits to be pulled, they are being negligent.

If that negligence results in some sort of damage or injury to the person that buys the house, the buyer has some, and perhaps many, many claims against the flipper. Negligence, fraud, potentially a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, and some other causes of action that can allow them not only to get money for the repairs to be completed, but also to actually pay their attorney’s fees, so they don’t need to pay any fees out of pocket.

So, if you should find yourself in a situation involving a bad house flip, or a dishonest house flipper with hidden damage in Baltimore City, please give me, Dan Whitney, a call at the Whitney Law Firm in Towson.

We offer Legal Consultations. Call us at 410 583 8000, or use our Quick Contact Form, to discuss your potential case.