HomeOwners for Better Building picket home show

July 30, 2002

July 27, 2002, 7:57PM

Dissatisfied buyers picket home show

Group pushes for housing lemon law

By EDWARD HEGSTROM

Inside, builders showed off the latest in weatherproof windows, shiny gates,

sturdy tiles and garden rockeries, all designed to help prospective buyers

piece together their dream home. But outside the New Home Show at Reliant

Park, a small group of protesters gathered to warn potential home buyers

that they may get a lemon. The group, HomeOwners for Better Building,

contends buyers in Texas have almost no recourse if they buy a poorly built

house.

" The biggest investment of your life comes with the least protection, " said

Cobarruvias, the group's leader.

All of those gathered outside the show had personal tales of woe from buying

a home. Cobarruvias said his home came with defective windows, which cost

him $20,000 to fix. Delynn Archer said her home has mold.

" I think all of the builders build some beautiful homes, " Cobarruvias said.

But none of the builders take responsibility when a home is shoddily built,

and there is far too little regulation of the industry, he said.

" Hairdressers are licensed, " he said. " Home builders are not. "

He said buyers of new homes can protect themselves by hiring their own

inspector and striking the arbitration clause and the clause waiving the

right to an applied warrant, which are sometimes put in contracts.

But one builder said increased regulation would be the wrong answer, because

it would lead to increased prices. He suggested the key is to work with the

right builder.

" With the technology that's available today, home buyers can do the research

and predetermine who they ought to be buying from, " said Powers, whose

company, Powers Homes, has a booth at the show.

The New Home Show, with its theme " Piecing Together Dream Homes, " continues

from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today at Reliant Center.

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