Austin homeowner deals with lingering flood effects
(ABC 6 News) – Weeks after severe storms caused rivers and lakes to flood across southeast Minnesota and northern Iowa, some are still dealing with the consequences even after water has receded.
First time homeowner Amy Koppelman is experiencing the latest in a long line of frustrations since she bought her home in Austin almost two years ago.
Her home sits on the low end of her street, just across from East Side Lake. When the storms hit earlier this summer, water came all the way up to her deck when it was at its highest levels.
Sellers told her when she bought the house that it had never flooded before, but she only learned after moving in that wasn’t true.
Minnesota law states before signing an agreement to sell residential property, the seller must disclose “all material facts of which the seller is aware that could adversely and significantly affect an ordinary buyer’s use and enjoyment of the property.”
In the corners of the basement, there are visible marks where the previous owner attempted to seal it off from flooding, but it did nothing to stop the water seeping through during the worst of the flood.
Though the water is all gone now, Koppelman still has to run air purifiers downstairs 24/7 due to the mold it left behind.
Koppelman says it’s only one of many problems she’s discovered since moving into the home, and trying to fix them all has put her into debt.
“The help that we tried to receive, that’s what’s been so hard in Minnesota because it’s been such an expense for us,” said Koppelman. “This was something that I always wanted, I didn’t know I was gonna have any issues. I was expecting a turn key type of place, otherwise I would’ve paid a lot less.”
Koppelman says she feels taken advantage of by the sellers, her agent and initial home inspector.
ABC 6 News reached out to Koppelman’s buyer’s agent and first inspector, but they were both unable to be reached for comment.
Koppelman has reached out to the Attorney General, as well as many first time homeowner’s assistance programs, but hasn’t received much help for her situation.
She says she doesn’t think she’s asking for too much. She just wants to live in the kind of home she was promised.
The homeowners have started a GoFundMe to help with the home repair expenses.