WHEN COLOR LINES IMPEDE LEGACY
Donación protegida
Merle Summers, Affectionately known as Mom Merle, dreams of living her life until no more in the house her late husband of 54 years, Donald Summers Sr., built are quickly fading away! In 1961 Mom Merle and her husband purchased a lot of land in the Summers and Lee subdivision from his Uncle to build their family home. Between 1961 and 1963 with his own blood, sweat, and tears, Donald Summers Sr. built his family home. During their time together in the home, Mom Merle and Donald were staples in the community; as Donald Summers served Fairfax County for over 30 years. The Summers’ home was a place where everyone was welcome. If you needed a place to stay because you needed to get on your feet, you were welcomed. If you needed a meal any day of the week you were welcomed. If you wanted to enjoy Sunday family dinner after church, you were welcomed. Community members never missed Mom Merle’s summer picnics, as she was the driver for redefining the neighborhood as “family.” Together these two mirrored unity, community, and the greatest of all, love.
In 2010 Mom Merle’s husband, provider, and protector unexpectedly passed in his sleep while laying next to her in the bed they shared for 55 years. The world she knew was turned upside down. Donald was not only the her husband, he was the household leader. He managed all of the tangible household task, like the finances. After his passing, Mom Merle had to learn all of the household finances and take care of everything. This was of course after 55 years of never having to balance anything more than a checkbook, much less a household budget!
Banks preyed on Mom Merle’s in-exposure to the financial world. Wells Fargo led the charge. With the housing market back on the rise, and prime real estate in the hands of an elderly, inexperienced women, Wells Fargo used tactics of a scaremonger which forced Mom Merle to short sale her property in 2012 after she was notified her house would be in foreclosure within 7 days. Like many senior citizens swindled by predatory lenders, Mom Merle did not fully understand the impact of a short sale. The notion that she would be able to purchase the house back in the near future was the message insinuated to her. Post short Mom Merle received a settlement check from Wells Fargo, acknowledging their mistake, significantly less than the actual value or any market value in the neighborhood she once called home. Mom Merle had been bamboozled into giving up her roots, her family legacy and the only house her family knew, so that the Wells Fargo could continue to grow. Since 2012, her family’s legacy has been in the hands of a company because of Wells Fargo’s negligence.
However, in 2017 The company that her home was sold to filed for Bankruptcy and the opportunity to regain her family legacy, 55 years of love, has been unveiled. Being a senior citizen and a woman of color, have seemed to be the drivers for the continuous hurdles preventing this purchase, by the Trustee. She has made numerous competitive offers on the property to the Trustee. However, they have continuously been ignored, even after they verbally agreeing to sign the second offer. The price of the property was driven up by the agent when the purchaser, Mom Merle, placed an offer on the table. After visiting a neighbor’s house, the agent increased the price again, given that the neighbor made an offer after Mom Merle. She has been informed that her offer along with one submitted by the neighbor will go before the court in what could result in an auction. This may seem like Mom Merle has a fighting chance, but as a senior on a fixed income, she will definitely loose the home her husband built with his bare hands, in an auction with a cash offer. The funds received will be used to increase Mom Merle's buying power in the auction for her home in court in May. Please Help Save Mom Merle’s House!
In 2010 Mom Merle’s husband, provider, and protector unexpectedly passed in his sleep while laying next to her in the bed they shared for 55 years. The world she knew was turned upside down. Donald was not only the her husband, he was the household leader. He managed all of the tangible household task, like the finances. After his passing, Mom Merle had to learn all of the household finances and take care of everything. This was of course after 55 years of never having to balance anything more than a checkbook, much less a household budget!
Banks preyed on Mom Merle’s in-exposure to the financial world. Wells Fargo led the charge. With the housing market back on the rise, and prime real estate in the hands of an elderly, inexperienced women, Wells Fargo used tactics of a scaremonger which forced Mom Merle to short sale her property in 2012 after she was notified her house would be in foreclosure within 7 days. Like many senior citizens swindled by predatory lenders, Mom Merle did not fully understand the impact of a short sale. The notion that she would be able to purchase the house back in the near future was the message insinuated to her. Post short Mom Merle received a settlement check from Wells Fargo, acknowledging their mistake, significantly less than the actual value or any market value in the neighborhood she once called home. Mom Merle had been bamboozled into giving up her roots, her family legacy and the only house her family knew, so that the Wells Fargo could continue to grow. Since 2012, her family’s legacy has been in the hands of a company because of Wells Fargo’s negligence.
However, in 2017 The company that her home was sold to filed for Bankruptcy and the opportunity to regain her family legacy, 55 years of love, has been unveiled. Being a senior citizen and a woman of color, have seemed to be the drivers for the continuous hurdles preventing this purchase, by the Trustee. She has made numerous competitive offers on the property to the Trustee. However, they have continuously been ignored, even after they verbally agreeing to sign the second offer. The price of the property was driven up by the agent when the purchaser, Mom Merle, placed an offer on the table. After visiting a neighbor’s house, the agent increased the price again, given that the neighbor made an offer after Mom Merle. She has been informed that her offer along with one submitted by the neighbor will go before the court in what could result in an auction. This may seem like Mom Merle has a fighting chance, but as a senior on a fixed income, she will definitely loose the home her husband built with his bare hands, in an auction with a cash offer. The funds received will be used to increase Mom Merle's buying power in the auction for her home in court in May. Please Help Save Mom Merle’s House!
Organizador
Tanasha Dalton
Organizador
Washington D.C., DC