Ardent Residential Brokerage

Great people to work with, will tell you up front what they feel is the best move. Even if it's not what you always want to hear.

Danny Resendes and Ardent Residential, Hudson, MA get 1 start because I can't give them zero. Please read on...it's VERY interesting.

My wife and I purchased a home from Danny and his business partner, Michael Chaves, in Lancaster, MA, in 2011. They had purchased the house at a foreclosure auction a few months earlier. We learned after the fact that Danny and Michael hid major structural defects from us despite being obligated by law to disclose the issues. The house has a approximately 16' x 20' screened-in porch over a walk-out basement. We learned the hard, and expensive way, that the footings for the deck were placed over a stump dump and the deck had slowly been sinking since the day it was built (2004). We eventually discovered the footings had sunk between 3-4 FEET between 2004 and 2012! We did have a home inspection done but (thanks to Danny and Michael) the problem was not revealed until 6+ months after we moved in.

According to several neighbors, and an email from the owner who was foreclosed on, the previous owner had telescoping jacks under 2 corner footings and as the footings would sink, he would jack the deck back up to level. The original footings were large, precast cement blocks that sunk so much, the previous owner eventually used sonotubes on top of the precast blocks! We have pictures of all of this. After Danny and Michael purchased the house at the auction, they soon had their carpenter (without a building permit despite one being required by law) replace the jacks with pressure-treated 4"x6" posts. The footings continued to sink and slowly the deck dangerously listed down and to one side. The total cost to repair: $31,650+ over a 3 year period (that includes 2 failed attempts to fix...everyone underestimated the scope of the problem...and the 3rd, and finally successful fix). This was no minor issue that Danny and Michael hid from us.

We filed a complaint with the Commonwealth of MA, Division of Professional Licensure, and, after their investigation, I received a letter from the Office of Prosecutions that states "Based on your complaints, the Board initiated formal proceedings against both licensees which resulted in discipline." The discipline turned out to be a fine (amount unknown but we hope it was substantial), probation, and Danny must do additional continuing education. That's little consolation, considering the risk our family was placed in and the cost in time and money, but we hope others can avoid a similar issue.

I included a photo taken and posted to Facebook 5/19/11. The photo was not manipulated because, at the time, we had NO idea there was any issue with the deck. We closed on the property 2/14/11. Look closely and you will see 5 rusty metal lally columns supporting the open portion of the deck. We still have all 8 of the original rusty lally columns. Danny and Michael were kind enough to leave all of them behind. To the right, under the screened in porch, are 3 pressure treated 4x6" posts. Notice how the two posts on the right are not the same color as the 3rd post just to the left of them. That's because the 2 on the right were brand new when we bought the house (really, who would buy a house with 2 telescoping jacks when Danny and Michael wanted a quick flip?!) and hadn't been weathered over the years like the 3rd column. Also notice the contour of the land...and the sink hole under the 2 new columns? Sadly, we were blinded by our love for the house, the home inspector missed what is now painfully obvious, and there was snow on the ground and we didn't notice the ground sinking.

We are partly at fault because 1) we trusted Danny and Michael and 2) we trusted the home inspector. Here's our advice: NEVER EVER trust a realtor or home inspector. DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. Talk to every neighbor in the area and take lots and lots of pictures of everything.