Update as of 8/1/24: Hill told ABC Action News that she was finally able to close on her home the day after our report aired.
This story was first reported on 7/31/24.
Christen Hill is using humor to process the last 15 months.
"I literally have to laugh so I don't cry," she said.
But if you ask her how she really feels, she'd say this.
"It's a nightmare," she said.
For months, Hill has been fighting for answers about the closing date on her newly built home in Riverview.
Documents she provided to ABC Action News show that she initially paid a $7800 deposit for her home and was pre-qualified for an in-house loan through KB Home in April of 2023.
By May she'd sunk another $17,000 into the project to customize her home.
She claims she was verbally quoted a move-in date of January 2024—so she rented out her Miami condo and temporarily moved in with her mom out of state.
But according to Hill, that date came and went.
"So I'm like, I called and they're like 'Oh we're going to have to push it back.' I'm like until when? 'Oh we can't give you an exact date right now,'" she said.
Later, in an email exchange on March 8, an employee told Hill her estimated closing date is set for May 16, 2024.
She pushed back and claimed someone else told her it was set for "April 14."
That employee said they would have to check back.
In another email exchange, on May 15 and May 16—she was asked to confirm the source of certain bank transactions.
Hill told the employees she had already provided this information.
She is then told her tentative closing date will be pushed to June or July of 2024.
On May 28, an employee questioned the source of her original deposit check from last year.
By June, she was asked to reconfirm where she got the money to pay for her custom home upgrades.
"Every week there's a new stipulation, I have never seen that it takes 15 months because it's been 15 months, to get approved for a loan," said Hill.
On June 10, she was quoted a tentative closing date of June 20.
But once again, that date came and went. And at that point, she contacted ABC Action News reporter Rochelle Alleyne.
"I've been staying with friends since I came back from my mother's house because I don't have any place to go, I rented out my place in Miami," said Hill, "I was running a business; I was baking cakes in Miami for my business, and I closed my business prematurely because I'm thinking I'm going [to close]. So, that's money that I'm losing out on because I haven't been able to start my business back."
At this point, Hill said she's holding out hope because the money she's spent so far is not refundable.
"I don't have $25,000 to just throw away. I don't have $25,000 to just give anybody. If I had it like that and I could just throw it away I would, but I don't have it," she said.
She's now calling on KB Home to let her into her home.
ABC Action News Reporter Rochelle Alleyne also put out a call to the company's Media Relations department.
She got a message saying the number was disconnected.
She also sent an email to that same department on July 16. The first message went unanswered. Her follow-up on July 30 bounced back.
In the meantime, as Hill waits for answers she has this message for the company.
"This dream of owning a home. You guys, you've crushed that for me," she said.
Since her interview with ABC Action News, Hill had one more promised closing date set for July 30, but it never happened.
She is now considering legal action.
ABC Action News also checked with Hillsborough County and found that as of July 30—KB Home didn't have a certificate of occupancy for Hill's home. This means no one is legally allowed to live there.
A county spokesperson released the following statement on the matter:
"KB Homes has not completed all of the infrastructure (i.e. road, drainage, and utility) improvements required of the project for the County to issue Certificates of Occupancy. We are currently working with the developer to allow homeowners to get into their homes as soon as possible."
YOUR VOICE
ABC Action News anchor Paul LaGrone went out to get Your Voice after another divisive election. He asked voters about how they feel and how Americans can unite over the next 4 years and beyond.
