Lawsuit Alleges Rent-To-Own, Rent Skimming Scam Led To Foreclosure

In Augusta, Georgia, the Augusta Chronicle reports:

• Regina Preetorius blames the real estate market crash. A class action lawsuit filed in federal bankruptcy court says something else caused people who did business with her company, S.D.A. & Associates, to lose their investments and face eviction papers -- fraud.

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• [Juan Valencia and Decia Bostic-Valencia] got kicked out of a house in south Augusta last year despite putting nearly $16,000 down, paying $4,000 to "loan broker" Fred Climer and making 12 monthly payments of $976, the lawsuit says. They thought that they were working toward home ownership in a rent-to-own, bond-for-title deal, [their attorney Jack] Long said. Unbeknownst to them, the complaint alleges, S.D.A. took their money while letting an outstanding mortgage on the house go unpaid, leading to foreclosure.(1)

For more, see Fraud involved in home deals, lawsuit claims.

Go here for other posts and updates on this story.

For more on problems with "Rent To Own" and Lease / Option real estate deals, go here and go here.

(1) According to the story, the lawsuit names Mrs. Preetorius, her husband, Charles "Greg" Preetorius, and Mr. Climer as defendants and seeks to create a class of plaintiffs who fell into predicaments similar to the Valencias. rent to own lease purchase option scams yellowstone