April 16, 2007
Ritter gives the homebuilders a big, wet, sloppy kiss
John Coby has done an awesome series on homebuilders and the new legislation which was ostensibly to help homebuyers but is, in reality, all about keeping them from the legal recourse they desperately need.
It may surprise you to learn than the bill was carried by a Democrat, Representative Ritter. Rep. Ritter, why on earth would you not reign in these people? The rumor circulating around is that your business outside the Lege is dependent on homebuilders. If true, you've just put a giant target on your back from the D's and R's. I know it's hard to vote against self-interest, but that's the deal you made when you were sworn into office.
The homebuilders in Texas today have quite a moat around them when it comes to anyone getting them to do anything once a home has been sold. Home warranties are usually worthless and taking something to the TRCC is literally one of the most frustrating things you can do with your time.
Ritter is carrying the homebuilders bill, HB1038, that will provide only minor modifications to the Texas Residential Construction Commission, a Commission that is nearly useless for homebuyers with construction defects. Of course, Ritter will declare, as did his aide,that HB1038 will provide a plethora of consumer protection for the commission.This is entirely horseshit. Representative Ritter, who owns a lumber company and was honored by the National Association of Home Builders for creating the TRCC, is doing whatever he can do to protect the homebuilders. It should be no wonder that the homebuilders are praising Ritter's bill. His aide, Davis, has refused to return phone calls, emails, or address serious problems with the bill, and has attempted to bullshit consumer advocates (like myself) into thinking they are doing something good for the consumer.
While not all homebuilders are equal (if I was looking at new construction, I'd be looking for a DR Horton sign), there are some who have made it a practice to screw their customers. This bill should be amended mercilessly to include some real protections for homebuyers. And just so y'all don't think I'm some disinterested third party, when these houses go bad and no one can or will pay to fix them, the mortgages often default. I don't like defaulted loans. It makes me have a super bad day. When I get unhappy EVERYBODY gets unhappy. It's not that I'm special or anything of the sort. It's that I'm that big a bitch.
Posted by mcblogger at April 16, 2007 09:10 AM
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