The Parkland City Commission voted last Thursday night by a 3-1 vote to permit Bonita Springs-based builder, WCI, to commence building 196 homes on the land that it owns in Parkland’s Heron Bay community

Our team was present during these council meetings and could definitely feel the frustration in the air.  In particular, a former Heron Bay homeowner, John Willis, led the charge in making a valiant claim to deny WCI the right to build.  Mr. Willis, and other concerned homeowners, presented evidence that WCI executives were aware about the tainted Chinese Drywall that was being put in their homes, but instead decided not to inform buyers in order to sell more houses.

But, WCI came prepared with their attorneys and argued that the City of Parkland did not have the legal right to deny them the bid to build the 196 homes because of Chinese Drywall issues.  The city commissioners heard other disgruntled residents state their claims.  But, in the end, the city approved WCI’s bid, because they did not want to be sued by WCI.  Parkland Mayor Michael Udine was quoted in the Sun Sentinel recently as saying, “I’m in agreement with how they (the Parkland residents) feel. Our hands were completely tied. We had to do this by law.”

Earlier this month, I wrote an article that received a lot of attention from our readers entitled, Should Builder WCI Be Allowed To Finish Parkland Heron Bay Community? Remember, WCI filed bankruptcy in 2008 and has never fixed any homes with Chinese Drywall.  Unlike WCI, builder Toll Brothers, who recently bought and took over the Parkland Golf & Country Club project from WCI, has already purchased dozens of homes in the community with Chinese Drywall and is totally re-mediating them to resell.  Many upset homeowners are angered how WCI has turned a blind eye towards their handling, or lack of handling, of homes with Chinese Drywall in Heron Bay, Parkland Golf & Country Club, and other Florida communities.

These homes must be built.  Having them stay vacant will only hurt Heron Bay and the overall Parkland real estate market in the long run.  But, it will be difficult to break the stigma that is associated with WCI as being a Chinese Drywall builder that cares more about money and their business than their residents.  How as real estate professionals am I supposed to sell the great features and benefits of Heron Bay to new perspective homeowners without being honest to my own personal concerns of how WCI has publically and privately handled the Chinese Drywall issues in Parkland?  I really hope that actions speak louder than words and that WCI builds 196 amazing homes in Heron Bay and goes above and beyond the call of duty for all residents to be 100% satisifed before, during, and after the building process!

We know the numbers, we analyze the market, our clients make better decisions. If you are interested in buying in Parkland or South Florida and are looking for experienced local Realtors, please do not hesitate to contact the Squawk at 954-609-0591 or send us a message here.

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WCI Communities Kept Quiet About The Chinese Drywall Problem As Early As 2006

Yesterday, Sun-Sentinel article reports that Bonita Springs-based-homebuilder WCI Communities was aware that homeowners were complaining about Chinese Drywall as early as 2006.  Unfortunately, WCI kept quiet and said nothing to its customers and the government.  This new information was ascertained by ProPublica and the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

The Chinese drywall issue did not catch the public’s attention until early 2009, when South Florida residents started to complain about foul smells and damaged appliances.

We reported that WCI emerged from bankruptcy protection last September. WCI built Heron Bay and Parkland Golf & Country Club, which are among the region’s hardest hit by Chinese drywall.

If WCI Communities hid the Chinese drywall problem from the many homeowners that purchased in their communities, then there is no telling what else they could be covering up from the public!

Buyers beware!  I urge perspective Parkland home buyers to hire professional and licensed home inspectors that also specialize in Chinese drywall inspections.  Any home built in 2001 or sooner should have a Chinese drywall inspection performed.  It is better to spend the extra money, so you do not become another victim of Chinese Drywall or other issues caused by WCI Communities.

WCI Communities -  Shame On You! Shame On You!

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If you are interested in buying or selling a real estate property in Parkland or South Florida, please give us a call at 954-609-0591 or send a note to the squawk.

Local attorneys representing homeowners with Chinese Drywall said that FEMA’s refusal to offer relief and further investigation to this major problem is proof that the federal government does not understand the extent of the problem. FEMA has stated publicly that Chinese Drywall does not constitute as an emergency or major disaster.  However, the Florida Division of Emergency Management will try other options in order to help homeowners receive the necessary aid.

Parkland homes effected by Chinese Drywall are selling at bargain prices.  As a result, it is negatively impacting the local market in Heron Bay and Parkland Golf & Country Club.  I recently wrote an article that received a lot of attention in the public:  Buyers Can Steal Parkland Chinese Drywall Homes.  Many of these homes are now selling in the $200,000-$300,000 price range.

Click Here to Read More Article On Parkland Chinese Drywall

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If you are interested in buying or selling a real estate property in Parkland, please give us a call at 954-609-0591 or send a note to the squawk.

We have written numerous articles on Chinese Drywall and how it effects the Parkland community here on our website.  But, we have not discussed and showcased the current active homes in Parkland that were built using Chinese Drywall.

Many of our clients and readers have asked us for information regarding purchasing these homes at significantly discounted prices.  The communities that have been effected by Chinese Drywall are Heron Bay and Parkland Golf And Country Club.  The two single-family subdivisions in Heron Bay that have homes with Chinese Drywall issues are Banyan Isles and Sable Pointe.

Please click on the following hyperlink: Parkland Available Homes With Chinese Drywall to search the current inventory of Parkland homes on the market for sale with Chinese Drywall.  If you are a cash buyer and willing to pay to fix the problem, then there are some great deals out there.  Prices are as low as the $200,000 to $300,000’s, as banks want to sell these homes as soon as possible.

We are working with local, licensed Chinese Drywall inspectors that can help detect and give estimates to clear the Chinese Drywall problem. Remember, that banks are not financing homes that have evidence of Chinese Drywall.  As a result, cash is king!  Banks are willing to take huge losses.  Their loss could be your gain!

To stay updated with all of the current Parkland real estate home information, receive our blog posts directly to your inbox by subscribing to the squawk.

If you are interested in buying or selling a real estate property in Parkland, please give us a call at 954-609-0591 or send a note to the squawk.

All in all, homeowners effected by Chinese Drywall must hire professional inspection companies that specialize in finding the tainted Chinese Drywall by identifying the presence of metal corrosion and other visual problems.

Other articles on Chinese Drywall:

• Dog Sniffing Out Chinese Drywall In Parkland?
• Unlike Florida, Louisiana Passes Law For 5 Million For Chinese Drywall Repairs
• 50% Reduction In 2009 Taxes For Homeowners Affected By Chinese Drywall
• December Chinese Drywall Deadline Fast Approaching
• FEMA Emergency Assistance To Chinese Drywall Victims?
• Finally Good News For WCI Homeowners With Chinese Drywall
• Parkland Chinese Drywall Task Force Established

To stay updated with all of the current Parkland real estate home information, receive our blog posts directly to your inbox by subscribing to the squawk.

If you are interested in buying or selling a real estate property in Parkland, please give us a call at 954-609-0591 or send a note to the squawk.

This trust was formed after WCI, a Bonita-Springs based company, went bankrupt.  It is expected that 700 homeowners in Parkland and other areas are seeking retribution through this trust.

Lead counsel to the trustee, Robert M. Horkovich, said that it is imperative that the insurance companies cover the claims against WCI, so homeowners effected by Chinese Drywall can remediate their houses and cover their significant losses.

A list of the insurance companies being sued include the following:

• AIG’s American International Specialty Lines Insurance Company
• Lexington Insurance Company

Other articles on Chinese Drywall:

• Dog Sniffing Out Chinese Drywall In Parkland?
• Unlike Florida, Louisiana Passes Law For 5 Million For Chinese Drywall Repairs
• 50% Reduction In 2009 Taxes For Homeowners Affected By Chinese Drywall
• December Chinese Drywall Deadline Fast Approaching
• FEMA Emergency Assistance To Chinese Drywall Victims?
• Finally Good News For WCI Homeowners With Chinese Drywall
• Parkland Chinese Drywall Task Force Established

To stay updated with all of the current Parkland real estate home information, receive our blog posts directly to your inbox by subscribing to the squawk.

If you are interested in buying or selling a real estate property in Parkland, please give us a call at 954-609-0591 or send a note to the squawk.

For decades, dog-sniffing canines have been used to detect bombs and drugs. Now, these trained dogs are being used to detect Chinese Drywall in South Florida homes.

K-9 Detection Services is a local company combining trained police dogs  and home inspection.  The dogs are trained to sniff out sulfur, which is the common chemical in Chinese Drywall.  The rotten egg-like odor that comes from Chinese Drywall can sometimes take years for humans to smell.  But, these trained canines are able to detect Chinese Drywall at a very early stage.

Homeowners usually spend hundreds to thousands of dollars just to test for Chinese Drywall.  Now, using trained dogs can be a lot cheaper and just as effective.  There are as many as 36,000 Florida homes that have Chinese Drywall, which corrodes appliances and wiring.

If a perspective buyer is looking to purchase a newly built home from 2001 or sooner, it is advisable to test for Chinese Drywall.  Also, homeowners experiencing the side effects should also have their homes tested.  K-9 Detection Services can be reached at: 800-381-2055.  Hopefully, more federal and state relief will come to homeowners effected by Chinese Drywall.

Other articles on Chinese Drywall:

• Unlike Florida, Louisiana Passes Law For 5 Million For Chinese Drywall Repairs
• 50% Reduction In 2009 Taxes For Homeowners Affected By Chinese Drywall
• December Chinese Drywall Deadline Fast Approaching
• FEMA Emergency Assistance To Chinese Drywall Victims?
• Finally Good News For WCI Homeowners With Chinese Drywall
• Parkland Chinese Drywall Task Force Established

To stay updated with all of the current Parkland real estate home information, receive our blog posts directly to your inbox by subscribing to the squawk.

If you are interested in buying or selling a real estate property in Parkland, please give us a call at 954-609-0591 or send a note to the squawk.

Recently, the State of Louisiana passed a law allocating 5 million dollars  of the state’s grant money used for disaster relief to help repair Chinese Drywall in homes.  Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, toured South Florida homes covered in Chinese Drywall and recommended that Florida look into using disaster relief grant money.

In Louisiana, some of the grant money is also being used to help relocate residents with Chinese Drywall to rental properties.  The disaster relief funds are also being allocated to help test for Chinese Drywall and perform home air quality tests.   A recent Sun-Sentinel article reported that there is as many as 36,000 homes in Florida affected by Chinese Drywall.

Big question that I have, as well as many politicians, such as Senator Bill Nelson, is how much money does the State of Florida have left in its disaster relief fund?  Also, could the state place restrictions on how much money a person receives based upon their income levels?

Let’s hope that Florida follows Louisiana, as thousands of Florida homeowners are suffering throughout this long process, especially in Heron Bay and Parkland Golf & Country Club!

Other articles on Chinese Drywall:

• 50% Reduction In 2009 Taxes For Homeowners Affected By Chinese Drywall
• December Chinese Drywall Deadline Fast Approaching
• FEMA Emergency Assistance To Chinese Drywall Victims?
• Finally Good News For WCI Homeowners With Chinese Drywall
• Parkland Chinese Drywall Task Force Established

To stay updated with all of the current Parkland real estate home information, receive our blog posts directly to your inbox by subscribing to the squawk.

If you are interested in buying or selling a real estate property in Parkland, please give us a call at 954-609-0591 or send a note to the squawk.