The unfinished home at 5813 Cameron Creek Terrace. Photo by Jonathan Spiers.
A Henrico-based builder is being sued by two homebuyers alleging his company failed to build their Wyndham-area home on time, and that the company has abandoned construction on other homes in the same neighborhood.
Romm Custom Homes is one of two defendants named in a lawsuit filed last month in Henrico Circuit Court by Mandar and Anjali Deshpande. The couple accuses the company and its president, William H. Romm III, of failing to construct their home in the Cameron at Grey Oaks subdivision off Nuckols Road near Wyndham before their purchase was scheduled to close last November.
The lawsuit, filed against William H. Romm III and William H. Romm Inc., doing business as Romm Custom Homes and/or Romm Builders, states the Deshpandes contracted with the company in February 2015 to build and sell a custom home at 5813 Cameron Creek Terrace.
The suit states the couple purchased the property for $621,500 and paid two sets of down payments totaling $62,150, as well as additional payments for three change orders totaling $13,406. The latest change order payment was made last September.
The purchase was scheduled to close Nov. 16, 2015, but the lawsuit, which was filed May 25 of this year, states that construction to date is less than 5 percent complete. A stop by the home site on Tuesday confirmed that construction has not progressed beyond foundation work and framing.
A further-along Romm home up the street.
The suit states that Romm has abandoned construction of not only the Deshpandes home but other neighboring purchasers’ homes in the Grey Oaks community under similar circumstances. It alleges that the company, “with fraudulent intent, induced plaintiffs to advance money for the construction of a custom home and have repeatedly failed and refused to perform as promised.”
Reached Tuesday, William Romm said his company has been having financial problems but has worked through them enough to finish a few houses. In addition to the Deshpandes’ home, the company had started three other homes in the Cameron at Grey Oaks, he said.
“We just had a financial setback last year. I’m just doing everything I can to get everything straight,” Romm said. “I’ve dumped a ton of personal assets at the problem.”
According to the suit, the Deshpandes sold their previous home based on the contract with Romm and have incurred increased housing costs and other expenses while waiting for Romm to complete construction. On Feb. 19, they sent a release of contract of purchase to the company requesting termination and the return of funds deposited totaling $75,556, according to the suit, which adds that Romm has refused to release or return the funds.
The suit seeks an order requiring Romm to complete the home in accordance with the contract, or a judgment against the company for damages totaling $150,000 plus real estate broker fees, attorney fees and other costs.
The Deshpandes are represented by attorney Cheri Hodges Warren of Glen Allen-based law firm WarrenLaw P.C. She did not return a message seeking additional comment.
Romm said he has secured enough money to pay the Deshpandes so their deal can hold and their house can be constructed. He said the lawsuit could end up being withdrawn because another builder, Bradford Custom Homes, purchased the lot last Friday and is taking on the project.
Romm said he has pulled from his personal funds to finish some houses and is talking with banks and slowly making progress. He said the four houses in the Cameron at Grey Oaks are the only homes the company currently has on its plate.
“The problem’s much better now than it was six months ago,” Romm said, adding that his attorney, Kelly Bundy of Hirschler Fleischer, is working to address the Deshpandes’ lawsuit.
“I’m hoping everything works out,” he said.
The Cameron at Grey Oaks is managed by Richmond Real Estate Associates Ltd., a real estate arm of developer Windsor Enterprises. Its website describes the subdivision as consisting of custom homes starting in the low $500,000s.
The website lists three builders for the subdivision – none of them Romm, but the company’s signage was posted on at least one home under construction in the neighborhood this week. The subdivision consists of finished and occupied homes as well as others that remain under construction.
Dawn Mott, an office manager with Richmond Real Estate Associates, said Romm had been, but is no longer, a builder in the Cameron subdivision. She said the company had built more than 50 homes in Grey Oaks before its financial problems hit.
“He was our number-one builder,” she said.
Grey Oaks consists of multiple neighborhoods on more than 100 acres between Nuckols, Pouncey Tract and Shady Grove roads. Windsor Enterprises is part of a group of developers behind the overall development, which continues to grow but is nearing completion. Windsor is currently seeking a rezoning for a 25-acre addition near Deep Run High School.
Romm Custom Homes’ website describes William Romm as a Virginia native and VMI graduate born into a family of builders and developers. The company has built homes in Cedar Grove and Stonehurst as well and was slated to build nearly 50 townhomes at East Parham Road and Villa Park Drive in 2014. Romm said he took that project through the zoning approval process but ended up not pursuing it. It has since been taken on by StyleCraft Homes and is currently under construction.
Romm Custom Homes reported building and selling 17 homes in 2013, the last year it appeared on Richmond BizSense’s list of area homebuilders. Romm described that year as his best year to date, with homes averaging in price at $500,000 and square footage at 3,500.
The unfinished home at 5813 Cameron Creek Terrace. Photo by Jonathan Spiers.
A Henrico-based builder is being sued by two homebuyers alleging his company failed to build their Wyndham-area home on time, and that the company has abandoned construction on other homes in the same neighborhood.
Romm Custom Homes is one of two defendants named in a lawsuit filed last month in Henrico Circuit Court by Mandar and Anjali Deshpande. The couple accuses the company and its president, William H. Romm III, of failing to construct their home in the Cameron at Grey Oaks subdivision off Nuckols Road near Wyndham before their purchase was scheduled to close last November.
The lawsuit, filed against William H. Romm III and William H. Romm Inc., doing business as Romm Custom Homes and/or Romm Builders, states the Deshpandes contracted with the company in February 2015 to build and sell a custom home at 5813 Cameron Creek Terrace.
The suit states the couple purchased the property for $621,500 and paid two sets of down payments totaling $62,150, as well as additional payments for three change orders totaling $13,406. The latest change order payment was made last September.
The purchase was scheduled to close Nov. 16, 2015, but the lawsuit, which was filed May 25 of this year, states that construction to date is less than 5 percent complete. A stop by the home site on Tuesday confirmed that construction has not progressed beyond foundation work and framing.
A further-along Romm home up the street.
The suit states that Romm has abandoned construction of not only the Deshpandes home but other neighboring purchasers’ homes in the Grey Oaks community under similar circumstances. It alleges that the company, “with fraudulent intent, induced plaintiffs to advance money for the construction of a custom home and have repeatedly failed and refused to perform as promised.”
Reached Tuesday, William Romm said his company has been having financial problems but has worked through them enough to finish a few houses. In addition to the Deshpandes’ home, the company had started three other homes in the Cameron at Grey Oaks, he said.
“We just had a financial setback last year. I’m just doing everything I can to get everything straight,” Romm said. “I’ve dumped a ton of personal assets at the problem.”
According to the suit, the Deshpandes sold their previous home based on the contract with Romm and have incurred increased housing costs and other expenses while waiting for Romm to complete construction. On Feb. 19, they sent a release of contract of purchase to the company requesting termination and the return of funds deposited totaling $75,556, according to the suit, which adds that Romm has refused to release or return the funds.
The suit seeks an order requiring Romm to complete the home in accordance with the contract, or a judgment against the company for damages totaling $150,000 plus real estate broker fees, attorney fees and other costs.
The Deshpandes are represented by attorney Cheri Hodges Warren of Glen Allen-based law firm WarrenLaw P.C. She did not return a message seeking additional comment.
Romm said he has secured enough money to pay the Deshpandes so their deal can hold and their house can be constructed. He said the lawsuit could end up being withdrawn because another builder, Bradford Custom Homes, purchased the lot last Friday and is taking on the project.
Romm said he has pulled from his personal funds to finish some houses and is talking with banks and slowly making progress. He said the four houses in the Cameron at Grey Oaks are the only homes the company currently has on its plate.
“The problem’s much better now than it was six months ago,” Romm said, adding that his attorney, Kelly Bundy of Hirschler Fleischer, is working to address the Deshpandes’ lawsuit.
“I’m hoping everything works out,” he said.
The Cameron at Grey Oaks is managed by Richmond Real Estate Associates Ltd., a real estate arm of developer Windsor Enterprises. Its website describes the subdivision as consisting of custom homes starting in the low $500,000s.
The website lists three builders for the subdivision – none of them Romm, but the company’s signage was posted on at least one home under construction in the neighborhood this week. The subdivision consists of finished and occupied homes as well as others that remain under construction.
Dawn Mott, an office manager with Richmond Real Estate Associates, said Romm had been, but is no longer, a builder in the Cameron subdivision. She said the company had built more than 50 homes in Grey Oaks before its financial problems hit.
“He was our number-one builder,” she said.
Grey Oaks consists of multiple neighborhoods on more than 100 acres between Nuckols, Pouncey Tract and Shady Grove roads. Windsor Enterprises is part of a group of developers behind the overall development, which continues to grow but is nearing completion. Windsor is currently seeking a rezoning for a 25-acre addition near Deep Run High School.
Romm Custom Homes’ website describes William Romm as a Virginia native and VMI graduate born into a family of builders and developers. The company has built homes in Cedar Grove and Stonehurst as well and was slated to build nearly 50 townhomes at East Parham Road and Villa Park Drive in 2014. Romm said he took that project through the zoning approval process but ended up not pursuing it. It has since been taken on by StyleCraft Homes and is currently under construction.
Romm Custom Homes reported building and selling 17 homes in 2013, the last year it appeared on Richmond BizSense’s list of area homebuilders. Romm described that year as his best year to date, with homes averaging in price at $500,000 and square footage at 3,500.
Will is a stand-up guy who is going through a tough time. He’ll get it together and clean things up.