Having moved to the area a little over a year ago, I bought a house investing the lion’s share of the money needed to close the transaction on a 15 year mortgage. Six months in a relationship the lady I was living with and had moved up here with (in order to be with her family) announced that she wanted the house. She said that I had to leave the house, and walk away with nothing to show for my efforts or my investment. Furthermore, she demanded that I leave the state of Alabama. I refused to do so. I did offer to buy her out, to get her off the deed if she felt the relationship was irrevocably beyond hope. She refused. This went on for another few months. Life was very unpleasant. Then she employed a new tactic. She threatens to call the police. I asked for what? She said she would think of something. It was at this time I sought legal advice. Attorney Christopher Word came to the rescue. After some research he laid out the grim facts. I had put her on the deed without her having any financial responsibility for the mortgage. That basically left me holding the bag. Furthermore and most likely, if she called the police they and the courts would take her side without relevance to what really happened. I could be totally innocent of any wrong doing, have a restraining order on me, become homeless and have to foot all the bills for a year. Mr. Word said, at this point all we can do is mitigate the damages. Do not provoke, her stay calm (I figured this meant, let her burn out) and hopefully she will take the offer as a settlement. Or, I could force the sale of the house. I was the sole holder of the mortgage. He wrote a letter to her stating that my offer was generous. That forcing the sale of the house would not produce any greater financial return. Eventually she took the offer that we both agreed to and I was able to keep my home and be out from an incredibly bad situation. Thank you, Christopher and Bethany (his legal aid) in everything you did. I came out of this as best it could have happened.
All USA
Having moved to the area a little over a year ago, I bought a house investing the lion’s share of the money needed to close the transaction on a 15 year mortgage. Six months in a relationship the lady I was living with and had moved up here with (in order to be with her family) announced that she wanted the house. She said that I had to leave the house, and walk away with nothing to show for my efforts or my investment. Furthermore, she demanded that I leave the state of Alabama. I refused to do so. I did offer to buy her out, to get her off the deed if she felt the relationship was irrevocably beyond hope. She refused. This went on for another few months. Life was very unpleasant. Then she employed a new tactic. She threatens to call the police. I asked for what? She said she would think of something. It was at this time I sought legal advice. Attorney Christopher Word came to the rescue. After some research he laid out the grim facts. I had put her on the deed without her having any financial responsibility for the mortgage. That basically left me holding the bag. Furthermore and most likely, if she called the police they and the courts would take her side without relevance to what really happened. I could be totally innocent of any wrong doing, have a restraining order on me, become homeless and have to foot all the bills for a year. Mr. Word said, at this point all we can do is mitigate the damages. Do not provoke, her stay calm (I figured this meant, let her burn out) and hopefully she will take the offer as a settlement. Or, I could force the sale of the house. I was the sole holder of the mortgage. He wrote a letter to her stating that my offer was generous. That forcing the sale of the house would not produce any greater financial return. Eventually she took the offer that we both agreed to and I was able to keep my home and be out from an incredibly bad situation. Thank you, Christopher and Bethany (his legal aid) in everything you did. I came out of this as best it could have happened.