At 85 years old, retired nurse Johnnie Jefferson faces the devastating prospect of losing her home in Richmond, Texas, due to a foreclosure tied to a disputed loan modification.
The six-bedroom, four-bathroom house, which Jefferson lovingly decorated herself, represents her life’s work and savings, but a verbal agreement with the bank over mortgage payments has turned into a legal and emotional nightmare.
Jefferson, one of the first non-physicians to own a medical clinic in the greater Houston area, has lived in the upscale neighborhood since 2002. Now, she is battling foreclosure while grappling with severe anxiety and depression.
The Loan Dispute
The foreclosure stems from a 2012 loan modification that Jefferson claims was a verbal agreement. However, without written documentation, the terms became a point of contention with the bank.
“With real property, everything needs to be in writing,” explained Kietha Hamilton, Jefferson’s attorney from Hamilton & Co Law Firm. “A misunderstanding over monthly payments often leads to disputes like this.”