Flood victim faces resistance from condo board about mold
Q :I’m a flood victim and live in a condominium. I have mold in the unit and the condo board won’t remediate it. They say it is in my unit and they only have to maintain and repair the common elements. I had a certified mold inspector prepare a report saying the unit is not habitable and it goes beyond the walls of the unit. What can we do now?
A :If you have mold, chances are that it goes well beyond your unit. Did these board members have their own mold assessment? They have a duty to work in the best interest of the unit owners, that’s why they are elected. Our experience has been that these boards need to be dealt with seriously. Go look for an experienced plaintiff ’s lawyer and see if they will take a case on a contingency and get to work on it.
Q :We are ready to sell our house, and our neighbor wants to buy our property. We don’t have to pay a real estate agent, so we have discounted the price for a quick sale. What do we do next?
A :Prepare a contract to sell; a one to four residential contract is on the Texas Real Estate Commission website. Work with your neighbor on the terms and simply fill in the blanks. We think the advice of a real estate agent is important, though, in establishing price and terms in your neighborhood. They also can answer a lot of common questions. Ask around for their help, and they may not charge a full commission if you don’t use all of their available services.
Q :My husband and I are divorcing, and he won’t agree on anything. We have had some good offers on the house, but I think he just wants to punish me about this.
A :He may have his own issues, but that is what divorce court is for. Call your lawyer.
Q :How does Houston function with no zoning?
A :Very well. Houston’s development has been one of economic opportunity, not governmental regulation. In general, Houston has developed faster and better than most cities and is home base to a lot of real estate developers who take a lot of pride in Houston. Houston does control building permits and utility capacity approvals. Welcome to your new hometown.