Renee Stoll: Homeowner forecloses on bank

I was the only news station reporter on scene to get this exclusive story for WINK News June 3, 2011...days later it was picked up by every major news organization; then blogged, tweeted and posted everywhere. It became viral and traveled across the country, even to other continents. The outpouring of comments everywhere show the level of frustration the nation has with banks and lenders.

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. - A bank foreclosure story you've got to see to believe. A Collier County couple turns the tables on Bank of America, the bank that tried to foreclose on their home. Now, the family is foreclosing on the bank! Even bringing trucks and deputies ready to seize property.

The foreclosure nightmare started when Warren and Maureen Nyerges paid cash for a home owned by Bank of American in the Golden Gate Estates. They never had a mortgage whatsoever. But, the bank fouled it up and wound up issuing a foreclosure through their attorney.

The couple took their case to court and after a year and a half nightmare the foreclosure was dropped. A Collier County judge said Bank of America has to pay the couple's $2,534 legal fees for the error. After more than five months the bank still hadn't paid up. So, the homeowners' attorney did just what the bank would do to get their money, legally seize their assets.

"I instructed the deputy to go in and take desks, computers, copiers, filing cabinets, including cash in the drawers," Attorney Todd Allen told WINK News.

Outside the Bank of America on Davis Boulevard, several deputies stood by with movers ready to start hauling out the bank's office supplies and furniture.

Inside, the homeowners' attorney was locked out of the bank manager's office by deputies while the bank manger tried to figure out what to do.

Allen says the manager was visibly shaken, "Having two Sheriff's deputies sitting across your desk, and a lawyer standing behind them, demanding whatever assets are in the bank can be intimidating. But, so is having your home foreclosed on when it wasn't right."

After about an hour the bank finally cut a check to satisfy the debt, and no furniture was taken. A representative for Bank of America issued a statement saying they are sorry for the delay in issuing funds. They claim the original request went to an outside attorney who is no longer in business.

As for Allen, he calls this a symptom of a larger problem he sees often in the courts, where banks don't perform their due diligence on foreclosure cases. "As a foreclosure defense attorney this is sweet justice."

Category:

News & Politics

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• news
• homeowner
• foreclose
• banks
• bank of america
• nyerges
• todd allen
• renee stoll
• wink
• wink news
• politics
• foreclosing on bank
• foreclosing on bank of america
• homeowner forecloses on bank

[drhula1]

@Proverbialfunk B of A does not care this is just 1 of the 1000s of bad foreclosures they have done where the people couldnt afford an attorney and lost there home

[Proverbialfunk]

I still don't understand how Bank of America, after the 1st reply from the couple who clearly owned their home, didnt apologize right then and stop sending harassing letters. It should have taken one phone call at most.

[saeidmomtahan]

Sweet!