DATELINE: Mission to Detroit, May 20, 2010 - 6:05 pm
by Len Hamilton (email)

The telephone conversation with the house seller, Z. Fraser, did not go well. The audio recording of the event is listed below:

Click here to play audio in a separate popup box

Update: May 25, 2010

I am sorry to report that it appears the seller has misrepresented her offering on Ebay though she refuses to acknowledge any responsibility. She maintains
that it was my duty to verify all information about the house prior to placing a bid and submitting any funds toward the purchase. She refuses to make a
refund and is claiming the fault is all on my part.

She misrepresented the house on at least three points: as being (1) a two-story bungalow, made of (2) brick, and that there are (3) no taxes due on the
property. None of these are supportable by any evidence. I had trusted her veracity and honesty in this transaction and in her responses to my inquiries.

(1) That it is NOT a tw-story house is apparent. It MAY however have a finished attic, and that is acceptable. The fact that it is not a multi-story house
would mean a lower tax rate. That there is a full attic would mean adequate space for our purposes within the house without having to relay on the
detached garage for storage.

(2) The house is sided with vinyl, not brick. And no, no one applies vinyl siding over a brick wall. Early photos she presented online did not reveal that fact.
She claims that information provided to her by the bank from which she purchased the house (for immediate resale) shows "two-story brick" construction.
Neither she nor I are responsible for what a bank, looking to unload distressed properties, might claim about an individual property. That she bought it
without checking to confirm whether the house was of brick or vinyl is doubtful. Deception on her part about the house's exterior could be assumed. She
has stated it was our (my) responsibility to know verify all claims (including, I now realize perhaps too late, those she had made) to learn the truth.

(3) She has, on several occasions during our multiple conversations, without hesitation affirmed that the house is unemcumbered by taxes or other financial
burdens. She never implied nor hinted that she didn't know, or that I should check for myself. I asked her, straight out, if there were any taxes or other
obligations that were due on the property. Her reply in each instance was a direct and immediate response - that there were no taxes or other fees due.

No other condition related to the house was ever discussed, including the state of the kitchen, heating plant, etc.. It was assumed by us (that is, the mission
group) that much of the house and its standard furnishings would need repair, replacement of servicing. We figured much had been taken or destroyed.

I contacted a company in Detroit to see what kind of brick the house was constructed of while waiting for late donations to come in, so that final payment
on the property could be made in the agreed upon timeframe. That company informed me that the house was not made of brick, but of vinyl. Further,
as they asked about our ministry intentions in Detroit, I was informed that there is over $1,900 due on the house in back taxes, unpaid water and sewer
assessments. Those taxes had been transferred to Wayne County, Michigan, for collection. Surely, ZF must have known those things.

She claims I am at fault for not verifying details pertinent to the house; that I didn't perform what she calls my "due diligence. I feel that I did. I didn't know
I had to also prove her honesty and truthfulness. I should have checked on her reputation and business dealings with appropriate reporting agencies.

I trusted her that it was a brick house and that no taxes or other payments were due apart from the completion of payment resulting from winning the bid.
I am left to assume now that she intentionally mislead me in several basic and important facts regarding this house. You may call it what you will.

I intend to try reasoning with her one last time to find a suitable resolution to this problem. Failing to get her cooperation, I will forward this website, all
emails exchanged between her and myself relative to this situation and whatever audio recordings I may have of our conversations to Ebay, Capital One
credit corporation, Christian and secular organizations here in New York, in Michigan and Detroit where the house is located, and in Florida where she
resides and operates several businesses.

Pray for God's intervention and guidance in these matters. I do not want to be found guilty of bringing shame to the Cross of Christ Jesus nor of being
ineffectual in protecting the trust of those persons and churches that have contributed prayerfully, financially and otherwise to our mission to Detroit.

From ZF, all I want is a return of our earnest monies paid to her, period.

From each of you, I respectfully request your prayers and input as to proceeding in these regards. Please respond quickly.

(more to follow - click here)