Business ProfileforPhyllis Frankel Realty Group, Inc.

Buyers beware! We purchased a home that was owned and rented out by Phyllis Frankel (owner of this brokerage). We asked for a seller's disclosure but the brokerage refused because they were not required to since the home had been a rental property and the owner had never lived there. We proceeded to purchase the home because Carey Frankel (Phyllis Frankel's son and listing agent of the property) assured us that all known problems had been fixed and we knew the seller was a real estate agent and that real estate agents had an obligation to disclose certain defects. Turned out that home had mold problems going back at least 6 years prior to the sale of the home and our neighbors said it was a constant revolving door of tenants moving in and out of the home because of the ongoing mold issues. Just a few months before the brokerage put the home up for sale, they had been served via a lawyer paperwork which included a third-party mold report showing an unsafe mold level by the tenants that lived there at the time. The mold was causing health issues for the family and they moved out after living there just a few weeks. Instead of doing proper mold remediation, they painted over the mold and sold it to us - unsuspecting out-of-state buyers. We were lucky because our wonderful neighbors rallied around us and put us in contact with prior tenants who were able to provide extensive photos, reports, and email/text exchanges with this brokerage where the issue of mold was a constant topic going back to 2015. Needless to say, before we ever moved in, we were forced to spend $31K to do proper mold remediation and install a brand new hvac system to remedy the years of mold issues. 4 months later, we were finally able to pass the mold inspection and safely move our children into the home. Please do your due diligence and do NOT assume that things that they legally have to disclose will be disclosed. It was a very expensive lesson we learned and just want to warn others.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. The Phyllis Frankel Realty Group does not condone hiding or covering issues. We treat every transaction with respect, and professionalism, and work towards a positive outcome for all parties. In reviewing, the file from 2 years ago, the items mentioned are not consistent with ****** **** Reports, Home Inspection Report, or the Building Forensic Expert Report. The Seller had put in an **** system for $12,000 just 5 years before the Buyers purchase. Seven (7) months previous to the Buyers purchase the **** was inspected by ****** **** per the tenants air quality report. A replacement was not recommended and instead, repairs were completed. Then three (3) months before the Buyers purchase, ****** **** did a maintenance cleaning. Again, no issues were reported. Months after the property was sold, when the Buyer did bring up the issue to the Seller, the Seller hired a building forensic expert at their own expense to inspect the home. The building forensic inspector is an engineer who is an expert in indoor air quality, mold remediation, moisture problems, design & operation of **** systems, building materials, and construction. The building forensic expert after inspecting the property reported that a new **** system was not needed and the current **** system helped deter mold by keeping humidity down. Most notably, the forensic building inspector observed humidity levels lower than the levels measured by Buyers **** specialist. He did have suggestions on changing the building structure to improve the air quality.