Our dream home turned out to be a nightmare!

My name is Beth, my husband's name is Chris, we have a 6-year-old daughter and nearly 2-year-old son.  We were sold a house that was devastated with termite damage and had to be completely torn down.

In April 2021, we bought what we thought would be our dream home in our dream neighborhood. Shortly after taking possession of the home, we were made aware of massive termite damage throughout the house while planning a small remodel. Mind you, we had paid for termite inspections on the property and were reassured that the termites hadn't done any structural damage to the house. Unfortunately, that wasn't the truth.

What we uncovered was a home that was uninhabitable. Trusses were crumbling. Studs in the walls were like paper and we could crush them in our hands. The more we investigated, the worse it got. Almost the entire home was termite ridden and beyond repair.

Luckily, the buyers of our previous home let us rent it back while we figured out what we had to do to be able to live in this house that we had just purchased for $560,000. While also paying the mortgage on an uninhabitable property, we paid rent for $2,200 per month. We hired laywers to help, which ended with no one being held liable for the damages. Insurance doesnt cover termite damage.

After 7 months, in November 2021, the cost of renting was no longer feasible and we moved into a trailer behind the termite house with our two young children. By this time we had found a reputable contractor who has been our saving grace through all of this by helping us rebuild our home.

In April of 2022, 7 months after plans were submitted (one full year after closing on the home), permits were finally approved to start the demolition and rebuild of the house. The entire home was demolished to make way for a new, termite-free one.

We never planned for this. We intended to do a small remodel and live happily in our new home. Instead, we are having to pay over $400,000 to build a brand new house.

We have been living with our 6 and almost 2 year old children in a fifth wheel trailer for 7 months now entering an Arizona summer with our construction completion date projected to be October.

It has been over a year of unimaginable stress and uncertainty. Construction has started, we have spent our life savings, we have received help from family, but funds are running low and we are afraid that we won't have a home for our children. Anything helps to finish this house and allow us to give our kids a normal life again.