ConsumerWatch

Mix-Up Nearly Costs Pleasanton Family Their Home

PLEASANTON (CBS 5) ― Friday would have been more than the start of a holiday weekend for Martha De Jesus and her three kids. "I was going to be homeless," De Jesus said. "I was going to have to put my kids in different homes."

Her home was sold out from under her because of a mortgage mix-up. De Jesus had an automatic mortgage pay, but when Wells Fargo Bank switched mortgage sites in the summer of 2007, De Jesus says she didn't receive a notification.

She assumed her mortgages were coming out of her account as they always had. "I discovered while I was Christmas shopping that in my statement my account looked a little bigger. I called Wells Fargo," said De Jesus. But it was too late.

"It consisted of months of re-faxing, of calling," said De Jesus.

De Jesus had no idea the bank was in the process of auctioning off her home. "The way that I found out was my daughter called me and said, 'Mom, there are people knocking on the door, wanting to get in the house'," said De Jesus.

She said her house sold in one day just last week. "Two days later, I get a three-day notice to vacate the premises. And I was just so devastated. I called Wells Fargo. 'Please, help me.' They said, 'Ma'am, there's nothing we can do.' said De Jesus.

De Jesus called CBS5 ConsumerWatch, which called Wells Fargo. "I saw results in one or two days, in contrast to seven months," said De Jesus.

Wells Fargo told ConsumerWatch that they would rescind the sale, and, in a statement, said, "In reviewing the documents she provided us just prior to the foreclosure sale, we have been able to identify a loan payment solution that would allow her to remain in the property."

Now Martha and her family are able to stay in their home for the Labor Day holiday weekend and for many more to come.

"I was just so happy, and I'm still so happy. I can't stop beaming. Thank you so much," said De Jesus.

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