Mary G. Gardenhire has filed a $500,000 lawsuit, alleging the house she bought had such a mold problem that she had to move out for months.
The suit is brought against the couple she bought it from, William Allen Strong and Sarah Elizabeth Strong: realtors Dianne Mason and Raymond and Ann Hale, and home inspector Dan Mayfield.
Ms. Gardenhire said she bought the house at 1705 Estrellita Circle on May 7, 2003.
She said the Strongs first certified that the house had no problems, then on the day before Mr. Mayfield was to do an inspection they notified her through realtor Mason that the house had a waterproofing problem. Ms. Gardenhire said she was told it had been taken care of.
She said Mr. Mayfield gave a favorable report.
Ms. Gardenhire said after she moved in she began to smell an unpleasant odor. She said a Terminex exterminator went into a crawl space and discovered very large clump-like clumps of mold. She said it was near where there was a hole in piping going to the house.
Ms. Gardenhire said she had to spend $24,000 correcting the problem, in addition to other costs, and was out of her house for months as items were being decontaminated and the mold removed.
She is asking $500,000 in compensatory and punitive damages in the suit filed by attorney Kevin Beck.