ComplaintsforEmpire Funding and Development Group

• Initial Complaint

  05/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am a real estate photographer, and this company "Funding By Empire" has never paid me for my services/photos I delivered. They reached out to me to schedule a photoshoot for on of their client's homes, I took photos and delivered the next day, and they've never paid me. They attempted to Zelle payment to me but sent it to the WRONG number so it never got to my account obviously. They confirmed it was a mistake and said they'd get it handled... they've been avoiding me ever since. The invoice was sent in January.. it is now the middle of May. This is ridiculous and I've tried everything possible to get payment (texting/calling/voicemails/email etc). Their office manager, ****, is the one who is supposed to take care of this.. and she's incredibly unprofessional and has avoided me at all costs for HER mistake. I can't believe people like this have jobs... it's very sad. I run a small business and just want to get paid for my services as promised.

  

  Business response

  05/28/2024

  Hello,

  
  I hope this message finds you well. I want to sincerely apologize for any miscommunication and misunderstanding that *** have occurred. As a new and small business, we strive to provide the best service possible, but we understand that mistakes can happen. However, we take full responsibility for our actions and any inconvenience this *** have caused you.

  
  Our goal is to learn and improve from every experience, and your feedback is invaluable in helping us achieve this. We are committed to making things right and ensuring that such issues do not recur in the future. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we want to regain your trust and confidence in our services.
  Please email me directly at ****************************** at your earliest convenience.

  I am dedicated to addressing your concerns personally and will do everything in my power to rectify this situation promptly. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated, and I look forward to resolving this matter to your satisfaction.

  
  Thank you for your time, and once again, I am truly sorry for any distress or inconvenience this *** have caused.
  Best regards,
  ***

• Initial Complaint

  04/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  SCAM - SCAM - SCAM - SCAM - SCAM - SCAM ************ and it's associates are a SCAM! We had a contract on our home and the consultant, ***************** and the owner, ***** SINCE March 4, 2024. They insisted on us accepting their offer that day...and we did. We agreed upon the price and they assured us weekly that we would get the deal done...we trusted **** and took him at his word, even when he tried to lower his offer, (after we signed the contract and they signed as well) we were assured by him that "We will continue moving forward at the $xxx price" (the price we agreed upon). We were in constant contact with him and when he asked a second time if we would go to a lower price than our contract stated...we said we have come as low as we can and even questioned if they were going to back out of the deal and **** and ***** assured us that they weren't backing out. WELL GUESS WHAT, TODAY THEY BACKED OUT!They never once gave a contingency on the offer, they constantly assured us that they would honor our contract. Because of their appearance of honesty, we put money down on a house being built...we told **** about this with their assurance of a completed deal. Now we are devastated...We even talked with **** and said, if you are going to "back out of the deal" please let us know quickly so we can move forward to other options...he assured through a text as late as April 3 that they will move forward at the purchase price they offered and was in the contract.Apparently, Integrity; Honesty; Candid communication and Trust are not what this company aspires to.By the way...they have not made any efforts to give the ******* Money back either...that is $500.00.Obviously, this space is not large enough to list everything and if you would like more information, you are welcomed to contact me...NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH!I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY TO ANYONE!!

  

  Business response

  04/27/2024

  To whom it may concern,

  I would like to start out by saying that in the conversation it is stated he ************** spoke with the owner ***** and ****. This is not true. Neither one of those people are owners and after listening to the recorded lines no one ever claimed they were. ************** was told the owner was out of the country and would be in contact as soon as he got back. There was nothing done that wasnt agreed upon in the contract. Our contracts state we have 30 business days. For this particular property we had a 30 day period ending on 4/29. In the contract it states we as the buyer can back out at any point. A cancelation notice was sent on 4/12. He never gave a chance to speak with the owner as stated when he got back. As stated he was asked to lower his price multiple times and was always aware (from our contract he signed) that we could back out in those 30 days. We have a singed contract on 03/05/2024 that states the 30 business is not started until photo inspection approval. I approved photos on 3/20/2024, we sent out a cancel within those 30 business days. I have unfortunately been out of office out of town and a death in the family, I apologize for my late response. As Mr. ***** wrote many times in his complaint these were all things he agreed to upon signature. 

  

  Business response

  05/03/2024

  We are reaching out regarding a recent communication regarding a response we provided that apparently did not reach your team's attention. We wish to address the concerns raised, as it appears there might be a misunderstanding.

  In reference to the complaint made, we would like to emphasize that our contract, as well as any standard real estate agreement, grants the buyer (Funding By Empire) the prerogative to terminate the agreement at any point until the inspection date. Attached is the agreement that each of our clients signs, clearly outlining our right to cancellation at any juncture. We uphold the principles of transparency and clarity in all our interactions with customers, ensuring they are well-informed at every stage of the transaction process. However, despite our efforts, there are occasions when customers may overlook certain clauses within the contract, leading to situations such as this one, where misinformation influences perceptions about our company.

  We firmly believe in conducting our business with utmost honesty and integrity, consistently striving to represent ourselves in the best possible light. It is regrettable that the client in question did not achieve the desired outcome. However, it is important to note that their expectations were based on erroneous assumptions, lacking any factual basis. I've highlighted two sections of the contract that were inaccurately reported. Firstly, the ******* money amount stated was $500, not $1,000. Additionally, I've pointed out the section that clearly indicates our right to terminate the agreement within the inspection period.

  We sincerely apologize for the delay in responding to this matter. As the proprietor of multiple enterprises, the owner was not immediately apprised of the situation. We are committed to resolving this issue promptly, with the ******* intention of demonstrating to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and our clientele that we operate with integrity and are dedicated to addressing the concerns of dissatisfied customers in a timely manner. To conclude our mishandling of the situation, we are willing to promptly pay the fine to reinstate a suspended status. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work towards a resolution.

  Warm regards,

  ***

  ***************************************    

• Initial Complaint

  03/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The company, funding by empire, contacted me on a cold call, wanting to purchase my property. This property is the home I currently lived in. Because we were thinking about selling the house, I entertained their call. Hearing their initial offer, I told him no. They would need quite a bit more money than that to purchase it. After talking with the person on the phone for quite some time, we came to an agreement on price. They sent me a contract which I signed and gave me a closing date for when the transaction would close. I gave them the title company I would like to use. They were fine with that. The title company had been in contact with them multiple times. In the meantime, I went out and got a contract to buy another house. The owners of that house went out and got another contract to purchase the house they wanted. Three transactions are now dependent upon this company. On the day before the closing, the title company, contacts me and says the purchasing company is not responding to them. I finally get a hold of somebody from the company and talk to several people. I finally get a hold of the owner of the company, *****************************, and he says they still would like to purchase it but they can only give me $70,000 less than what was listed in the contract for purchase that we had. I say no way we have a signed contract. They refused to close and finally send me a cancellation form, signed by the owner. I keep contacting them in regards to getting the ******* money that they supposedly put down for the purchase, and is listed in the contract. Finally, I get an email from ****, stating that since the owner of the company did not sign the initial contract, the contract is void, and therefore they do not owe me any ******* money. I have several emails and texts from multiple people from the company in regards to this purchase. They not only backed out on this deal but caused the failure of two other transactions. They should at least give me the ******* money.

  

  Business response

  05/06/2024

  This
   aims to clarify complaint ******** filed by *************************. It concerns a misunderstanding of the contract terms. Nowhere in the contract is it guaranteed that the home will be purchased. While we endeavor to attract investors and generate public interest in
   the property, there is no assurance of a sale. **************** made decisions assuming his home would sell, but all homeowners must recognize the possibility that their property may not sell, regardless of market conditions. Neither Funding By Empire nor any real
   estate entity can guarantee a sale; it's impractical. We made efforts to adjust prices in response to low interest, but **************** rejected the offer outlined in his complaint. Regarding the claim that someone unauthorized signed his contract, this did indeed
   invalidate it, as stated in the complaint. However, we cannot refund his ******* money because we canceled his contract within the inspection period after photo approval, as specified in the contract terms. Therefore, we are not liable for any ******* money
   refund.
  
  We
   extend our sincere apologies for any inconvenience experienced by **************** and his family and wish them success in their future endeavors. While we have received several threatening emails from **************** containing untrue allegations, it's possible that
   these communications prompted his decision to involve the BBB. Our business structure is not designed to harm or impede anyone's ventures, and such outcomes are never our intention.

  Customer response

  05/09/2024

   
  Complaint: 21479571
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  1.  The contract was a Contract to Purchase, not a Contract to Sell. If all of the stipulations within the contract are met, then it is a legal binding contract.  All of the stipulations on the sellers part were made. 
  

  2.  The highlighted part in the attachment that Funding by Empire included regarding the seller needs to send the buyer pictures, well, the buyer hired a professional photographer to come out and take pictures.  
  

  3.  The contract was not canceled within the inspection period.  It was not canceled until several weeks after the professional photographer came out and took the pictures.  
  

  4.  As far as the contract not being signed by someone authorized by the buying company to sign it, its the companys responsibility to train their employees and the company is responsible for the actions of their employees.  The person from the company that originally called me is the one who signed the contract.  
  
  Sincerely,

  
  *************************

  

  Business response

  05/09/2024

  1.  The contract was a Contract to Purchase, not a Contract to Sell. If all of the stipulations within the contract are met, then it is a legal binding contract.  All of the stipulations on the sellers part were made. 

  It appears that there are numerous stipulations embedded within the contract you've recently signed that you may not have thoroughly considered. While I empathize with any difficulty you may be experiencing in comprehending the document, your grievances indicate that certain aspects of the contract may have eluded your notice. This is precisely why we took the initiative to highlight these particular points for your attention and understanding.

  
  2.  The highlighted part in the attachment that Funding by Empire included regarding the seller needs to send the buyer pictures, well, the buyer hired a professional photographer to come out and take pictures.  
  

  Certainly, it's important to acknowledge that although we've enlisted the expertise of a professional photographer, their work still undergoes a crucial approval process. Upon receipt of the photos, typically within a timeframe of one to two days following the shoot, our upper management team meticulously reviews and assesses them before they are deemed suitable for use. There are instances where we may need to engage another photographer if the initial images fall short of capturing all the essential aspects necessary to effectively market the property.

  Expanding on the topic of marketing, it's pertinent to draw attention to the detailed section within the contract you've signed that delineates the specific parameters governing how and where we are permitted to promote your property. This section serves as a guiding framework, ensuring that our marketing efforts align with your preferences and comply with any relevant regulations or agreements. By adhering to these stipulations, we aim to optimize the visibility and appeal of your property in the market, ultimately facilitating a smoother and more successful sales process.

  
  3.  The contract was not canceled within the inspection period.  It was not canceled until several weeks after the professional photographer came out and took the pictures. 
  

  As a client, it's natural that you may not be privy to the intricacies of the timeline concerning the approval of your photos and the expiration of the 15 BUSINESS-day inspection period. Rest assured, we meticulously monitored these processes and ensured that we met the deadline, even surpassing it by a few days. Our aim is not to deceive or withhold your ******* money; rather, we are dedicated to upholding the agreement you signed with us.

  We recognize and apologize for any disappointment you may have experienced due to the outcome not meeting your expectations. It's important for us to communicate that we value your trust and are committed to transparency and integrity in our dealings. Should you have any further concerns or questions, we're here to address them and work towards a resolution that satisfies both parties.

  
  4.  As far as the contract not being signed by someone authorized by the buying company to sign it, its the companys responsibility to train their employees and the company is responsible for the actions of their employees.  The person from the company that originally called me is the one who signed the contract.  

  
  Please see above responses 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩