Today I am happy because I read in the Miami Herald that they are finally cracking down on mortgage fraud. It is about time. Arrests are being made, there will be a lot more to come. Check out the article by Monica Hatcher: 11 mortgage-fraud suspects arrested: Miami-Dade police rounded up 11 suspects who allegedly used stolen and falsified documents to commit mortgage fraud.
The Bicentennial Park meeting, held inconveniently at the Orange Bowl on Thursday at 4:30 pm, was the same presentation as the last one. I saw the last one so I went out on the field of the Orange Bowl...maybe for the last time. It was infinitely more interesting, walking across the empty field, looking up at the unoccupied bleachers (must be what the Marlin's team experiences during a game).P.S. Why do they insist on calling Bicentennial Park "Museum Park" at city meetings? Was the park renamed and rededicated? Where are the historians when you need them?
13 comments:
Genius first off, great blog. Thanks for the info and insight you provide. I happen to be a mortgage broker who graduated with a finance degree from UM, worked in banking for several years and was tired of losing clients to mortgage companies whose guidelines were, in some cases capable of getting the job done. I have been a proponent of cracking down on fraud, tightening the educational requirements for entry and toughening the continuing education standards to weed out the people who have no business in this industry. I guarantee you many people involved in mortgages today would never have gotten their foot in the door at any reputable bank in Florida.
The issue I take with this Mortgage Fraud Task Force, and you can call the Mayor's office for a list, is that there are no members from the Mortgage Industry or Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers or even the Florida Office of Banking and Financial Regulation to represent the legitimate mortgage community that has been tainted and suffers as a result of these "fly-by-nights" that have infested this industry. Also, I have to question the involvement of one of the members, Nancy Barreto Hogan who is a sister of Rodney Barreto, and not only is a Florida Real Estate Commission commissioner, but happens to be a branch manager for Coldwell Banker in Coral Gables. Many of these residential real estate firms have their own lending units in-house and are very adamant about "encouraging" their realtors to push their exclusive lender over an outside company. Also, many realtors take on the title of "mortgage professional/specialist" without any license requirements because they are covered under the blanket of their in-house mortgage company. This same FREC commission goes on a witch hunt if for any reason any unlicensed real estate activity occurs in their state, which I can understand. But if you or I assist someone selling their house to not pay a real estate commission and you are not charging for this, they will still come after you with the same ferocity as if you did charge a commission.
While I am happy with the Mayor's initiative on this issue and Monica's article in the Herald, I have to ask why it seems this task force, made up of more law enforcement and politicians than representatives of the many mortgage companies that are suffering as result, is giving the appearance that the culprits here are solely the mortgage brokers and mortgage industry?
check out Michelle's posting over on museum park forum:
http://www.museumparkforum.com/PublicMeeting_1of3_MuseumPark.php
I am still shocked the Miami Art Museum still sends an Executive Director and various employees to these meetings. Why don't they stay in their taxpayer financed offices trying to raise private funds to cover their huge operating losses? God forbid they should raise any money towards a capital campaign. Don't they realize the taxpayers are fed up?
Having been in real estate over 40 years, I am truly distraught about the sell-out within the Realtors Association and Brokerages like Coldwell Banker and The Keyes Company who have been engaged with a full circle network relating to the mortage fraud being described. Let's not forget, however, the new peacocks on the block such as the condo conversion gang swooping in on Section 8 properties and affordable housing stock with an added mortagage fraud perk. This is the $999 only guarantee with no closing cost consumer scheme. Country-wide Mortgage and Ocean Bank are both in the picture. It works like this: A consumer approaches a sales associate of the developer in a sales office that is converted from a common areas space once dedicated to tenants for their tenant meetings and activities. The area is dressed with an air of new owners who NOW realize that they should not have closed on their units "as is". With no elevators in compliance and lots of failed inspections, one can only anticipate spcial assessments as the developers choice. No condo association is holding meetings and illegal workers with no permits prevail. So far, five foreclosures have been noted. Our affordable housing stock is the issue. Without protection of our affordable housing stock, not only will we have mortgage fraud, but we will have mortgage fraud connected to condo conversions not accountable to local oversight. Disclosures should be a requirement. However, this condo converter group sends papers to the Condominium and Land Sales Division alleging certain representation. No one in Tallhassee checks with Miami-Dade to actually inspect the units. Now, the 365 day clock starts ticking on the tenants when the condominium has NOT BEEN CONVERTED. So, displacement, gentrification and redlining are still a Fair Housing Violation that is occuring within the framework of the mortgage fraud. The worst part is the developers are flying the American flag to wave in buyers who have no clue what the real deal is and the developers continue to take control through their tag team mortgage fraud caper. Hopefully, the authorities will demand more laws and regulations and the consumers will elect those capable of law enforcement.
If individuals and families are paying over 50% of their incomes to pay for housing then what money is available to pay for massive incredibly expensive empty art museums?
Let us all call Bicentennial Park by its proper name. Bicentennial Park.
Come to 9001 and 9099 SW 77th Avenue and try buying a unit for $200,000 - $300,000. You pay $999 down at Dadeland Place with no closing costs. Hector Hernandez, Esq. and Armando Bravo are part of the Palmetto Towers Group LLC. Unfortunately, they will not disclose to you the condition of the unit and indicate on the contract that it is being sold "as is". These units do not pass inspection and the elevators have failed all of their inspections. Fires have occurred due to old appliances and the fire alarm did not even activate. The inspectors are way behind in their follow-up, as more units are being sold to mostly those from other countries without any background approval from the Condo association that is not meeting. Ocean Bank and Country-Wide Mortgage should be closely questionned as to how they allowed an entire community of Section 8 and low to moderate income individuals to be totally displaced without any monies for relocation while their condo conversion scheme plays out. Let's further check with Tallahassee at the Condominium and Land Sales division and find out who allowed this condo conversion without inspections passing from the County. So far there have been five foreclosures. The building has plumbing leaks, mold and mildew, lead paint issues, bad elevators, and will not pass a 40 year recertification. Is there mortgage fraud? Who is able to investigate this fiasco?
What a sad story. Unfortunately I expect more disasters.
Keep printing the names of the people behind the scenes.
Check out next week's issue of New Times for more on Dadeland Place.
Isaiah Thompson
New Times
Wow, after reading your comments below, my heart started pumping and my blood started boiling. I am a victim of Great Country Mortgage Company in Miami/Coral Gables. One of the many things they do is “condo conversions.” In 2006 I purchased an "as is" conversion unit that I was assure by the builder - Domingo Berejano, the condo would be fully updated and up to code by the time I moved in. Well, I closed and moved in yet still had many repairs yet to be done. Mr. Berejano assured me that he would fix everything. He asked that I put it all in writing, I did, he asked that I call and remind him, so I did that too. He would finally show up and fix one thing (the least costly) and forget about the rest. Then he would buy time, made me wait to fix the next thing a few months down the line. Well he stalled enough until my one year guarantee expired and my repairs (the costly ones) never got done. How could he get away with all of this I asked myself and so I did some digging.
It turns out that Domingo Berejano is employed and financed by Great Country Mortgage Company. Together with the owner Hector Hernandez, President of Great Country Mortgage, Mr. Berejano runs a shyster type of business that preys on the poor, less experienced public and takes full advantage of these people innocence and lack of education. They focus on the people of Little Havana, an area which the City of Miami is trying very hard to convince young entrepreneurs that this is the next boom, up and coming “it area” in the in the SoFlo market and that the area is worth investing in. While I understand that the City of Miami wants to promote to better this community, I can’t imagine it happening. So long as the City continues to allow shysters like Mr. Berejano and his financier, Mr. Hernandez to continue to rip off its very citizens and turn a blind eye with their jacked up code enforcers (clearly are being paid off), there is no way this community has a chance to grow, expand and flourish. They are wasting their time.
It seems that I am not the only fool who believed Mr. Berejano. I have spoken with other owners and we all have the same complaints. The upstairs neighbors floors where never sound proofed. Everyone who purchased a unit on the ground floor can’t sleep or have a sound way of life. The electricity on many units was never updated (still covered in mesh from the 40’s). Owners can’t run their microwave and toaster oven at the same time the lights flicker all the time. One of the owners on the ground floor sits on rotted wood beams that were never changed. The windows are not hurricane proof and he never put shutters on everyone’s’ windows. Since 1996, the people living in Pinar II condos on SW 6th street and 13th avenue still do not have their association handed to them. No meetings have ever taken place, and when owners have called to complain, they pass on the problem around as if they are playing “round robin phone tag.” The owners of the units have no idea as to how much money is in the association account because they have refused to hand over any information. By the way, the association is currently being run by an employee of Great Country Mortgage as well. What a coincidence!!!! Did I mention the fire alarm that not only doesn’t work correctly but is not connected to the fire department? There is an invasion of cat’s, cockroaches and rats under the building because they do not fumigate and have not sealed the crawlspace. There is garbage, boxes all over the property and the “association” does not enforce anything or anyone. Mr. Berejano purchased security cameras (still not sure if the association funds paid for that too) and they never work. Every time someone asks for a tape to see what is going on the response is always the same, “The cameras are broken.”
These are just some of the many things going on at this building and I advise anyone thinking of doing business or buying a unit form any of the above people or company to rethink what you are about to do. They will get you sooner or later and you will be stuck paying for many repairs, inspectors etc because the City/County continue to turn a blind eye. It is no wonder our taxes are out of control. We need to get rid of “all” our elected officials and start from scratch. Wouldn’t it be great if we can make all City and County officials live in Little Havana so that they can get a real understanding of what life is like there? I bet they are too chicken and can care less to even walk in this part of the hood!
Mortgage fraud is just the icing on the many problems the City and the County refuse to admit to.
Don't be suckered by their tactics to move there, you will regret it.
It happened the same to me @ Pinar II condos, everything as described above.
last i heard Great Country Mortgage was out of business due to the fraud that they committed on many of their condo conversions. Employment was made up for many borrowers as well as bank statements and all. At Dadeland place the Loan Officer there Alex Curbelo- watch for him because if you don't qualify for the mortgage he'll make you qualify and then you'll be stuck paying for a mortgage that you can't pay. Make sure to always read your applications the closing tables to make sure that your income as not been increased or that all of a sudden you have a part time job.
I am writer at BusinessWeek Magazine. I would like to talk to anyone who lives in the Palmetto or any other projects involving Mr. Hernandez and Great Country Mortgage Bankers. You can call me at 312-233-7944 or e-mail at robert_berner@businessweek.com. Feel free to call collect. Thanks, Robert Berner
In February 2005 I was working at the Sarasota Herald Tribune. I had found a for sale by owner home I was interested in buying. I had just gone through a divorce and this would be my first home purchase. Cheryl Phillips was our company credit manager and she came to solicit me for her husband Verne Phillips who worked for Southeast Capital Advisors llc owned by Arthur R. Seaborne.
She took me to meet Verne and I hired him as my mortgage broker. I did not know Seaborne at this time. As the deal began I was ignored, lied to and threatened. I was refused an inspection on the house and was told by Seaborne that if I did not close without the inspection I would lose my earnest money and be sued for the price of the house.
This man falsified my loan application and forged my signature to a balloon note for 56K that he gave to the sellers as my down payment. Therefore he lied as well to the lenders at the time World Savings.
I was kept away from the house for a week after closing and was threatened by the Sarasota Police to be sent to jail if I went near the house that I now owned. I never received keys to the house and when I finally did get into the house it was filled with mold, plumbing leaks, foundation leaks, roof leaks and all the sellers trash and dirt.
Since then I tried to clean up the house to no avail, it is overrun with toxic mold to which I am allergic. I DO NOT LIVE IN THE HOUSE AS IT MAKES ME DEATHLY ILL.
I contacted the FBI and the state office of financial regulations about this crime perpetuated upon me. Detective Maslowski called me daily threatening me criminal charges for signing the loan docs I was forced to sign. His constant harassing calls cost me my job. After I found new employment a Agent Brady of the FBI began calling my new work to find me then began his barrage of harassing calls costing me yet another job.
At this point I have hired 2 different lawyers. One, Mr. Andrew Mooney took my retainer of 2k and did nothing. Then came the only lawyer I could find to accept my case of mortgage fraud and non disclosure with little funds up front as I have no money now. Lawrence P Cartelli is a family law lawyer and is barely working on my case.
After doing some investigating I have found that Art Seaborne lost his RE license after the OFR found he practiced mortgage fraud back in 1989. Why did they ever give him a mortgage brokers license in 2000 knowing he was already found guilty of fraud previously?
I now an broke, I have a house that is falling to the ground from mold, literally and I owe 290K plus on, my credit has gone from 780 to well below 400, I cannot get a job and I an destitute while Art Seaborne hires the best lawyers in the country and the sellers drag out my case for the non disclosure so I will not be able to afford to complete it and my lawyer will not communicate with me now because I cannot pay him.
I have read about the mortgage fraud victim’s fund and I desperately need this help so I can find the justice and restitution I deserve. Had the OFR not been negligent I would not be here dying as I am now. I am a 48-year-old divorced woman with a BA who now has no life. I was intended to get my Masters at USF and now I cannot even afford to eat everyday. I had a beautiful and promising life ahead of me and the State of Florida has robbed me of this life.
I can get no one from the OFR or the FBI or any other state entity to help me or to tell me what is going on. Please help me. Please!
I figure that if no one in this State takes responsibility for the crime that the state perpetuated upon me I WILL HAVE TO DO WHAT EVER I CAN TO SAVE MYSELF. I am going to write a scathing book accusing this state of the irresponsibility and crimes that the State of Florida has put on me and all the nasty details and names that go with it. I have the facts to back me up in this. I MUST DO SOMETHING TO SAVE MY LIFE!
Will you please help me? I am a law abiding and tax-paying citizen of this state. I even graduated from USF so I gave the state of Florida my hard earned money there.
I refuse to let this go and just give-up all my dreams and aspirations so the fat cats of the State of Florida can save face in their illegal dealings. I will win or die trying!
Please, please help me help myself back to a real life.
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