Chicks in Construction

Welcome back to another episode of Chicks in Construction — the true crime podcast, construction edition! This week Mikki and Jessica kick things off with some Chicky Chat: Hector's international gallbladder surgery adventure in El Salvador (complete with translation app fails, gloveless procedures, and Juan Carlos saving the day), plus travel tales from Jess's European cruise.

Then it's on to the main story: why the prettiest flipped homes can hide the ugliest secrets. Fresh paint, brand-new floors, and gorgeous quartz countertops can conceal water damage, mold, missing permits, and structural problems that don't show up until months after closing.

As always, we're not attorneys or doctors, and this isn't legal advice — but these real cases and lessons can help you avoid becoming one of our future stories.

Got a story of your own? Share it with us at chicksinconstruction.com — we'll always keep you anonymous, even if you don't check the box.

Follow us: Facebook, LinkedIn & Instagram: @chicksinconstructionpodcast TikTok: @chicksinconstruction

#ChicksInConstruction #HomeBuying #HouseFlipping #RealEstate #TrueCrimePodcast #HomeInspection #RenovationRedFlags

Chapters: 
0:00 Intro & Chicky Chat (Hector's El Salvador surgery, Jess's cruise) 
27:03 Getting to today's story 
27:17 The dream home that's hiding secrets 
29:50 The bidding war & waived inspections 
36:48 Johnson v. Davis and seller disclosure law 
41:41 When the inspector misses it 
45:58 "As-is" doesn't mean anything goes 
57:12 Rapid-fire red flags to watch for 
1:01:59 Where to find us

Submit your homeowner horror story:
www.chicksinconstruction.com

Follow on Social Media:
www.instagram.com/chicksinconstructionpodcast
www.facebook.com/chicksinconstructionpodcast
www.linkedin.com/company/chicksinconstructionpodcast
www.youtube.com/@ChicksInConstruction

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Creators and Guests

Host
Jessica Abreu
As a social media expert, Jessica has a knack for identifying what makes each business unique and translating that into powerful, engaging content that resonates with clients and customers. From crafting tailored strategies and managing accounts to recording on-site content and boosting engagement, Jessica and her team handle it all so their clients can focus on what they do best.
Host
Mikki Paradis
President & CEO at PDI Drywall Inc. Mikki founded her first construction company, PDI Drywall Inc, in 2005 while she was still a student at NC State. After growing PDI into a multimillion dollar company, she has become an accomplished entrepreneur, speaker, and advocate for innovation in business and leadership. With a passion for empowering others, she has built a reputation as a forward-thinking professional dedicated to driving growth and fostering meaningful connections. Known for her dynamic energy and ability to inspire, Mikki is deeply committed to creating positive change in her industry and beyond. Whether through her entrepreneurial ventures or speaking engagements, she consistently challenges the status quo and encourages others to reach their full potential.

What is Chicks in Construction?

You plan your renovation with excitement, trust your contractor, and hope for the best...until things start going sideways. That’s when most homeowners realize they didn’t know what they didn’t know.

From permits that were never pulled to “contractors” who ghost after demo day, the construction world can feel like a maze of hidden costs and shady shortcuts. Too many homeowners end up confused, overwhelmed, and out of a lot of money.

The Chicks in Construction Podcast is here to change that. Hosted by Mikki Paradis, a licensed general contractor with 20+ years of experience, and Jess Abreu, a homeowner turned construction content creator, this show breaks down real renovation horror stories and teaches you how to protect your time, money, and home.

After building a multimillion-dollar drywall business and helping countless homeowners recover from construction nightmares, Mikki is on a mission to make sure you go into your next project informed, not blindsided. And Jess brings the perspective of someone who’s been in your shoes and now knows exactly what questions to ask.

Submit Your Construction Horror Story: https://chicksinconstruction.com/

56 - Chicks in Construction
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Mikki Paradis: [00:00:00] Mind you, a full night stay at the hospital, total bill was 28... A surgery with two surgeons , total bill was $2,800. Did

Jessica Abreu: you sleep in the hospital that night?

Mikki Paradis: I did. I surely did. Oh. And yeah, it was terrible.

Mikki Paradis: Well, hello, and welcome back to another episode of Chicks in Construction. I'm your host Mickeye, and this is my co-host.

Jessica Abreu: Hi, I'm Jessica.

Mikki Paradis: And listen, I forget sometimes that we need to tell you guys what the podcast is about, because maybe you're new here, and maybe you're like, "What are these chicks talking about?"

We're talking about construction. But it's kind of a true crime podcast, construction edition. We basically exist because the construction industry is very shady. Now listen, there's a lot of great contractors out there. There's a lot of great general contractors and tradespeople and people that are honest and have integrity and are [00:01:00] wonderful human beings, and they're doing great work in the world.

Unfortunately, there's also a lot of really, really shady contractors out there. And because there are so few protections for homeowners, and there are so infrequently consequences for shady happenings-

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm ...

Mikki Paradis: the shadiness is on the rise. And so this podcast exists to help you, the either homeowner or the potential homeowner or the want-to-be-a-homeowner-one-day, know how to navigate the world of construction.

When you're getting a new roof, or you're, you wanna do an addition, or you wanna renovate your kitchen, we want you to know what is normal and what is not normal so you can avoid making costly mistakes and ending up as one of the people who writes into our show to share their stories with us because things went wrong.

Mm-hmm. So, with that said, if you are [00:02:00] watching and you have a story that you wanna share that you think would help other people learn from your mistake, we would love it if you would share it with us. Now Jess is a real stand-up human being, and she will always change your name even if you do not click the remain anonymous button.

Jessica Abreu: Right. She will. There's

Mikki Paradis: like a little button. If you go to chicksinconstruction.com and you scroll down, we have a l- a little form, and you kinda just tell us your story. And at the bottom you can click whether you wanna remain anonymous or not. Jess is gonna leave- You will- ... you anonymous-

Jessica Abreu: Forever ...

Mikki Paradis: no matter what.

Jessica Abreu: Nobody will ever know- However- ... who you are ...

Mikki Paradis: the contractor, we ain't changing their name. No, we're- Nope.

Jessica Abreu: If you give us their name- We just won't- ... we tell ...

Mikki Paradis: if you tell us what their name is, we gonna tell everybody what their name is. So, that is the point of the podcast. Um, we do a combination of viewers, our sub- our wonderful subscribers writing in and sharing their stories, but we also find copious amounts of stories on the internet- Mm-hmm

um, that we share. We're, I'm [00:03:00] currently stalking a story that I'm, on our next podcast we're gonna share, that I'm very excited about it because it is a super influencer. The, his handle is The Dad Chats- he's a lawyer out of Minnesota, I believe, um, that got scammed by his builder who built the house that he just bought and moved into.

And he is so outraged at how unfair and, like, all of the injustice of it all that he is starting to, like, share more about the stuff, which I think is great because the more people need to know about this, and he has a freaking huge platform. Mm-hmm. So next podcast we're gonna cover his story because it's a real doozy.

Um, so that, that's what we do here. We share stories, we talk about it, and we help you guys come up with game plans on how you can avoid becoming one of the statistics.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: We also do a thing called Chicky Chat. It's [00:04:00] really for, for our subscribers that just like, you know, like to hear the happenings of other things that are happening in other people's worlds.

Jessica Abreu: Yep.

Mikki Paradis: So-

Jessica Abreu: The ones that are nosy wanna know a little bit more.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. And, like, I'm 100% probably the nosiest person that I know. I'm just, I'm just gonna be honest. And I realize this because, so I live with my husband, my delightful husband, who is the least nosy person I've ever met. Like, when something shady happens on a job site- He, he does no investigation.

When, like, something happens and there's some tea, I cannot go to Hector and be like, "Hey, what is the tea?" He doesn't know the tea. Because he's-

Jessica Abreu: Is there tea to be had?

Mikki Paradis: He's like, "Huh? I was working." And I was like, "Part of your job is finding out the tea," and he's like, "That's not in my job description."

Jessica Abreu: You're like, "Well, you know what?

At your next review, it will be."

Mikki Paradis: That's right. I said, "When we sit down for your quarterly review, sir- ... I'm adding it." But it's funny too, 'cause, like, so my niece, who [00:05:00] also lives with us, um, she is terrible with, with, like, the details. Like, she'll come home and, like, tell me something crazy, 'cause she works at the R- at RGU.

She works for Breeze Airways. Oh, my, y'all, the stories. They're good stories, but she gives me, like, the basics, like the bare min. So, like, I'll follow up with, like, what I think are very good questions, and she's like, "Oh, I didn't ask that." And I'm like, "So what you're saying is I'm the only nosy person that lives in this house."

Jessica Abreu: Yep.

Mikki Paradis: And yeah, pretty much, so that's-

Jessica Abreu: That- ...

Mikki Paradis: that's what that's about.

Last episode we talked about Jess's vacation.

Jessica Abreu: Which was lovely.

Mikki Paradis: She went on a European cruise. Mm. Fancy cruise. She lived her best life.

Jessica Abreu: I did.

Mikki Paradis: She brought them childrens. Oh, you know what I was gonna tell you? I guess the algorithm knew that I was traveling, and it was serving me up [00:06:00] new things for people who travel.

Mm-hmm. So I don't know if you've seen, it's, like, either a bracelet or, like, a keychain where you get the flags-

Jessica Abreu: Oh, yes, I have ...

Mikki Paradis: of each, like, place you've

Jessica Abreu: been. It, it sends me that too. Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, and I was like, "Oh, that's cute." I like that better than the scratch off thing because, listen, I just keep going to the same places over and over again, and the, the, the scratch off map just feels like a failure to me because -

Jessica Abreu: But now you, if you get a bracelet, you're only gonna have one spot on it

yeah,

Mikki Paradis: but I just, but I still got a charm. Like, it still feels somewhat rewarding, whereas I look at the map and I'm like, "You've done nothing with your life." You're hysterical.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, I think, I think I'll probably get the kids the keychain- Yeah ... not the bracelet, because they lose- They will absolutely lose them

they lose, they lose things ... 100%.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, your kids have gone so many places. That feels like a flex. That's like a playground flex. Like, so some kids show up, they're like, "Oh, I got this new toy," and your kids show up with, like, "Oh, I got 20 countries [00:07:00] under my belt." Mm. "Say something." But really- Probably that is not happening on the playground.

Jessica Abreu: No.

Mikki Paradis: But it would if I was there.

Jessica Abreu: And it's hard, too, to, like, get them to understand that this is not something- Not normal ... that everybody gets to do. For

Mikki Paradis: real.

Jessica Abreu: So, like, the little, especially the little one, so she turned eight while we were in Venice-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: the day that we were leaving, so- As one

Mikki Paradis: does ...

Jessica Abreu: she ha- she got cannolis for her birthday breakfast.

Oh, my God. Um, but- She's like, "Oh," when she was leaving school, 'cause she's telling all of her friends that she's going on vacation, 'cause we left right after school let out. Yeah. She's like, "Oh, we're going on vacation." And like, one of the kids is like, "Oh, me too." And she's like, "Ooh, are you going to Italy, too?"

And they're like, "

Mikki Paradis: No." "No, we're going to Orlando."

Jessica Abreu: No. No, they were going to the Outer Banks.

Mikki Paradis: I was like, that, that or Myrtle Beach.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. And so, and there's nothing

Mikki Paradis: wrong- Listen, no shade, those are great vacations ...

Jessica Abreu: but like, they weren't leaving the s- the state- ... that

Mikki Paradis: we are in. Homegirl [00:08:00] don't have a passport.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. And then like, people will tell me, this is a, they'll be like, "Oh, yeah, we're waiting for the kids to get a little bit older." Meanwhile, their kids are older than what

Mikki Paradis: I- Yeah ... started with. You've been traveling with them since they were like, wearing diapers and- Yes ... and having binkies. You're like, "No, we doing this."

Jessica Abreu: Yes. Cora, Cora left, we went to Mexico with her and my son when she was 18 months old.

Mikki Paradis: Listen, Cora's like habla Espanol, my guy.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. So, like, I just, you just do it. Yeah. And once you do it, it becomes the normal thing, and they understand the expectations and what they can and they cannot do. People are like, "Oh, I'm gonna wait till they get older.

You know, you understand how it is to travel with kids." I was like-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: yeah, it's mad easy. Yeah. Like, you give them snacks. You give them a movie, some-

Mikki Paradis: Give them that iPad, put the earbuds in. Bye, bye, see, see you when the plane lands.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Like, they get up, like the little one will get up at least twice to use the bathroom-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah[00:09:00]

Jessica Abreu: on the long flight. And the other one, she'll hold it as long as she can- She's like, "I do not." ... 'cause she hates, she hates a airpa- airplane bathroom and so do I. And we let the kids pick who they sit next to.

Mikki Paradis: Do you really?

Jessica Abreu: Yes. So, like, 'cause we switch them, too. Okay,

Mikki Paradis: I'm gonna guess. Lana, Brad, Cora, you. Yep.

Jessica Abreu: Yep.

And then Cora- I know

Mikki Paradis: them childrens ...

Jessica Abreu: Cora will sometimes want to sit next to Brad, but Lana will be like, "Oh, but I really want to." And like, I-

Mikki Paradis: You're like, "You could n- neither one, none of one of you could sit with me."

Jessica Abreu: Don't- "I don't care."

Mikki Paradis: I don't.

Jessica Abreu: I love- Jess is like, "How

Mikki Paradis: do I say this and not sound like a monster?"

Jessica Abreu: I love both my children the same, but Lana wiggles and is very ne- she's younger. She's younger. And she is, she is 100% the baby of the family. Yeah, yeah. And like even though we have tried very hard to make her-

Mikki Paradis: Me and Lana have had beef.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: Let's just put a... Like, I have beef with a, she's now nine. She's eight.

Oh, [00:10:00] she's eight. She

Jessica Abreu: was seven.

Mikki Paradis: So she was, she- I had beef with a seven-year-old.

Jessica Abreu: Seven-year-old.

Mikki Paradis: Uh-huh. Listen, you should expect that from me. Yep. All y'all should expect that from me.

Jessica Abreu: But yeah, so, so the fact that Cora always ends up with me on the plane is such a blessing because she's quiet.

Mikki Paradis: Cora's, Cora's vibes.

Jessica Abreu: We'll play games together and-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: we'll watch the same movie.

Mikki Paradis: But Cora will rat your ass out. Oh. Like, don't get it twisted. She's vibes, but she is secretly texting Jess everything I say and do while I'm babysitting her. Mm. She's like, "Did you know that Miss Mickey is kind of the worst?"

Jessica Abreu: She did not say

Mikki Paradis: that.

She did not say that. But- But she did think it ...

Jessica Abreu: yes, she does. But you went on vacation too. I

Mikki Paradis: did. I, so- Kind of ... it was so funny. Jess, Jess goes on vacation, and I'm like, "Okay, as soon as you get back we're gonna get in the studio and record all these episodes." And then I'm like, "Hey, just kidding. I have to go to El Salvador for two weeks 'cause Hector has to have his gallbladder removed."

Jessica Abreu: And I was like- Which- ... "Why are you going there for a gallbladder surgery? You live in the United States." I

Mikki Paradis: know. So, [00:11:00] oh, God, so we pay, I think, almost $30,000 a year for our health insurance, which is a crap ton of money. And it's like- Wow ... yeah, it's insane. And um, it's premium healthcare, whatever. So he finds out, he has like a gallbladder attack in, like in January, and we go to the emergency room.

And they're like, "Oh, yeah, you have gallstones." But it wasn't like you need to emergency remove it. It was like you, it needs to be removed. He just had like a little flareup. Mm-hmm. So he goes, is, meets with the surgeon. The surgeon's like, "Yeah, you gotta have it removed." We schedule the surgery, and then they call us like a couple weeks before the surgery.

And they're like, "Hey, your deductible is this," so it was gonna be like $3,000. But they're like, "But the hospital has a facilities fee, and the facilities fee is five grand." What?

Jessica Abreu: How does insurance not cover that?

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, and they're like, "Oh, we don't [00:12:00] cover that."

Jessica Abreu: A facility's fee So,

Mikki Paradis: we, so it was gonna cost almost 10 grand to have a planned routine surgery with our crazy expensive insurance.

Now, pro- part of the p- problem was Hector was very upset about, um, as he says, not having his factory original parts. Hector thinks of everything in car terms apparently. Hmm.

Jessica Abreu: He doesn't want- And- ... any special trash in

Mikki Paradis: there ... he doesn't want, he doesn't, he wants to be as, and I'm quoting him here, "Factory original."

Jessica Abreu: Hmm.

Mikki Paradis: So he really did not wanna have the surgery. And so the second they call and say it's gonna cost almost 10 grand to have this surgery, he was

Jessica Abreu: like- He's like, "Absolutely not." ... "Nope, can't afford it." Can we afford it? Sure. I

Mikki Paradis: mean, even if you didn't- Did I

just spend- ... pay

Jessica Abreu: for dogs ...

Mikki Paradis: $5,000 taking all of my dogs to the vets? I sure did. [00:13:00] Um, so could we have paid for that surgery? Yes, but Hector was so against this that he calls his sister in El Salvador who, her best friend is he's, she's a nurse at one of the hospitals. And she, she, he's like, "Just ask your bestie, like, how much a gallbladder surgery costs in El Salvador."

And- ... and it just, so you guys, Hector is Salvadoran, so he's an American citizen, but he was born in El Salvador. Um, and she comes back, she's like, "1,500, white glove service." He's like, "All right, we're going to El Salvador." So homeboy convinces himself, and by proxy me, because apparently I am easily influenced-

Jessica Abreu: Hmm

Mikki Paradis: that he's gonna get there and they're gonna tell him he doesn't need to have the surgery. Oh, sure. So I go into this thinking I'm going on vacation for two weeks.

Jessica Abreu: Hmm. I'm gonna pick out all the shells.

Mikki Paradis: Oh, yeah. I'm like, I book a resort at the, our favorite resort at the beach, at my favorite beach in El Salvador.

And let me tell, I love El Salvador. I love [00:14:00] that country. T- they, do they need some infrastructure? They sure do. But I, once we get to, like, the spot that I love to be at- Hmm ... like, I could, I could just live there forever. So I book a resort, and in my mind I'm thinking, "No, nobody's having surgery. We're just going on vacation."

So we get there Friday, he goes to the doctor Monday.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: Immediately the doctor's like, "Oh, no, you gotta, you gotta have it removed." Now, this doctor- had been practicing medicine since before either one of us were born, and we old. So he was, he was- Very old ... up there in the ages. But you would never have guessed his age.

Like, he was, you never would've guessed that he was 81 years old, ever. Like, ever. He was in such great condition. Like, he obviously takes- Was he the

Jessica Abreu: surgeon? ...

Mikki Paradis: really... Yeah, he was the surgeon.

Jessica Abreu: Oh, those steady hands at 81. My me.

Mikki Paradis: Well, let me tell you. So the whole situation was, like, jarring, 'cause I don't know why [00:15:00] I convinced myself that we were, he was not gonna have surgery, because Hector was so sure that he was gonna get there and they were gonna somehow be able to treat it.

No. They were like, "No, you absolutely need to have your gallbladder removed, and like tomorrow." Mm. Mm. So we go from like, "I'm on vacation," to all of a suddenly we're having surgery tomorrow. And like, the level of shenanigans that then proceeded to happen was like, oh crap, so we have to get another Airbnb that's way closer to the hospital because we have to be at the hospital the next day at 4:00 in the morning.

Jessica Abreu: Oh, they didn't just let you stay at the hospital. They kicked you out to-

Mikki Paradis: Well, they were like- ... and then come back ... "Come back tomorrow." Like- ... "You're gonna have to have the surgery. See you tomorrow." Right. So I'm like, I go into, like, planning mode. I have to get an Airbnb that's close. We still have an Airbnb at the beach, and I'm like, "We'll be back, but for a little while we're gonna be in San Miguel."

So we get this other Airbnb and we're like, Alyssa's flying in, so like my niece couldn't come with us the day we left. Like, she had to come a couple days later 'cause she had to work. Oh, she was working. [00:16:00] So, like, I had to send my nephews to go to the airport to get her, and like, it was so much. So then he also had a hernia.

So they're like, "All right. Well, we'll take the hernia out and take your gallbladder out. $2,800." We're like, "Okay, sounds great." Nowhere in my mind was I thinking my translator, i.e. Hector, is not going to be conscious.

Jessica Abreu: Mm.

Mikki Paradis: And if anything goes wrong, I'm not going to be able to communicate

Jessica Abreu: with anyone. And let me just tell

Mikki Paradis: y'all- Google Translate don't work- Google Translate-

for medical terms ... is a ho. Mm-hmm. And Meta, the, the live translation from Meta Glasses is also a ho that be lying to your face. Like, I was like testing them out when we were in the doctor's office, and they were like, the two of them were talking about, like, the procedure and everything, and at one point, according to the Meta live translation, they're talking about unicorns.

And I was like, I'm pretty sure they're not talking about unicorns. Like-

Jessica Abreu: Maybe you might [00:17:00] see a unicorn ... like a- If you see a unicorn, don't go towards it ... I'm just like

Mikki Paradis: After he was over, I asked Hector, I was like, "At any point in this conversation did you mention a unicorn?" And he's like, "What?" And I was like, "Yeah.

Um, according to Meta, Meta live, live translation, um, you were talking about unicorns." And he just started laughing. So Hector, like the surgery's supposed to be two hours. Mm. So four hours in- I'm in a full-blown panic. I'm just, I'm, I'm c- when I tell you that Google Translate was shitting the bed...

Jessica Abreu: Did you stay in the hospital the whole time waiting?

Yeah,

Mikki Paradis: I stayed in the hospital the whole time. He, I can't communicate with his sister. His sister's trying to go find out. They're not telling her anything, and I'm, like, s- starting to really panic. Like, I go into the bathroom and I'm, like, having, like, mini cry sessions 'cause I don't wanna freak his sister out.

Mm-hmm. So I'm just, like, hiding in the bathroom crying a little bit. [00:18:00] And just by the grace of the Lord, Hector's best friend, who's also Salvadorian, just happened to be there in, like, on vacation at the same time we were there. Mm-hmm. So I text him and I'm like, "Listen, I'm about to have a panic attack.

Hector's been in surgery for four hours. It was only supposed to be two hours. I can't understand anything. Google Translate is not translating. I am freaking out. Are you close to the hospital?" And he's like, "I'll be there in five minutes." And like, like the fricking s- like, 'cause he was, like, did, like, three tours in Afghanistan.

Like, like the soldier he is, he was literally there in five minutes. That, he saved the freaking day. So I know Juan does not watch this podcast. Juan's d- not, is not even- So did

Jessica Abreu: they tell you

Mikki Paradis: why- ... really a fan of me, but he saved the freaking day ...

Jessica Abreu: why his surgery- Shout out to Juan ... took so long?

Mikki Paradis: So it wasn't that he was in surgery for that long, it's that he was in recovery and they don't have...

Like, their protocol is they don't tell you how the surgery went [00:19:00] until they're out of recovery. Instead of coming in and saying, "Hey, everything went well." He, he's in recovery. "He's in recovery." They wait until he's, they're bringing him up from recovery to be like, "See? He's fine." It's so funny. That's because they've had too many people-

Jessica Abreu: die during recovery. So, like, he... Hector comes up and he was, like, fully out of the sedation and everything. Yeah. And the first thing he says is, "I want you to know, Mickey, that the second I woke up I asked the nurse if they have told

Mikki Paradis: you that I'm okay." And sh- and they, th- the nurse told him no. No. And he was like, "Understand the seriousness of what I'm about to tell you right now. Go tell my wife that I'm okay- That he's fine ... because she is crazy." And they, they did not heed that advice and I almost had a panic attack. Juan Carlos- It would've been-

saved the day.

Jessica Abreu: It would've been nice if they told you- [00:20:00] That that is the way that they-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: do things. Probably because they just assume everybody knows- Yes ... that that's how they do things, because nobody comes from the US to go have surgery in El Salvador.

Mikki Paradis: Apparently not. Except for... Except for, except for this one.

And it was, it was funny 'cause it was so wildly different. Like, obviously, like the surgery was sterile, but like the hospital room was so different from an American hospital room. The stan- like I don't wanna say standard of care, but like nobody wore gloves, and I was just like, "Well," I am, as we have discussed at nauseam on this podcast, I am not a doctor, despite the fact that I like to think that I am, but I'm like watching them do all of this stuff without wearing gloves and I'm like, "Listen, the gloves aren't for them.

The gloves are for you," in so many situations. Like, they took Hector's IV out, no gloves on, and he just, his little vein is like squirting blood everywhere. [00:21:00] And the lady just walks up with no gloves, gauze, just puts it... And I'm like, "Okay, if you had a cut in your hand," and I'm like, in my mind, I'm like just like, "This, what, what are we doing?"

So that was a little different and it was a little hard for my like spoiled, bougie American brain to be like- Mm-hmm ... this is not America. But I will, though, when they put the IV, when they did the IV in his, he, he went to, the guy went to do it without gloves, and I said in English, "If you go near my husband with a needle without gloves on your hands, w- this surgery is not happening."

And he didn't understand what I said, but he understood what I said enough to put those freaking gloves on.

Jessica Abreu: It's so wild how things are so different.

Mikki Paradis: So different.

Jessica Abreu: And like- And then then it makes you wonder, like- Obviously, they do it without gloves- All

Mikki Paradis: the time ...

Jessica Abreu: all the time, and they don't have any negative repercussions from it- Right

because if they did-

Mikki Paradis: Then they would be

Jessica Abreu: wearing

Mikki Paradis: gloves ...

Jessica Abreu: they would do it. So it [00:22:00] makes you think, like, do we really need-

Mikki Paradis: Are we all the way over the top? 'Cause seriously, like-

Jessica Abreu: I, I mean, we're over the top a little bit.

Mikki Paradis: 100%. Oh, we're over the top. So, like, it was, it was crazy, 'cause, like, so the doctor who operated on Hector, it was him and his son.

So the son did the gallbladder, 'cause they did... They, they have the same technology that we have. They didn't, like, cut him all the way open. They did the, um... It's, like, where they... What is it called? I, I can't remember the name of it as we've discussed, not a doctor. But they went in with the little machine.

Laparoscopic? Laparoscopic, that one. Thank you, Jess.

Jessica Abreu: You're welcome.

Mikki Paradis: So he only has, like, the three little scars- Mm-hmm ... from the gallbladder. So the son did that, and then the father took the hernia out. So he had the, the three little scars, and then they basically, like, took his u- belly button out, took the hernia out, put his belly button back in.

So we go... Like, he stays in the hospital the first night.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: Mind you, a full night stay at the hospital, total bill was 28... A surgery with two surgeons , total bill was [00:23:00] $2,800. Did

Jessica Abreu: you sleep in the hospital that night?

Mikki Paradis: I did. I surely did. Oh. And yeah, it was terrible. Hector was so uncomfortable for a lot of different reasons.

Um, but so we, we li- we, we stay in the hospital that night. The next night we st- stay in the Airbnb, 'cause the next day we have to go back to the hospital- Mm-hmm ... for him to s- check the wounds. So we're sick- We're sitting in this office that could be a nail salon. Like, it's nothing compared to, like, how doctor's offices are here.

Mm-hmm. And he, like, lays down on this little bench, and the guy opens this... And it's like this medical bed is, like, from the '80s. He opens this metal drawer. That's where all his tools are. He, like, susses through all the tools that he needs. He grabs the ones he needs. He puts them in this little container.

He puts this liquid on them, assuming disinfectant. And he no gloves. And he's like- "Yeah, he disinfected his hands" He's, he's like, "It's fine. It's fine." So then, like, I'm standing there just 'cause, like, as if I'm a doctor, like, as if I'm gonna catch [00:24:00] him doing something wrong 'cause I'm insane. He's like, "Hey, hold this."

He, like, has me holding sterile medical equipment so he can do something else. Just like, he's like, "Hold this." I'm holding it, like, with, like, n- white-knuckling it, like, 'cause I'm just like, "I don't wanna drop this. This seems important." So officially I'm a doctor now. Thank God. I assisted in a medical procedure, and it was the same thing.

So then we get to go back to the beach, which is actually a really great way for Hector to recover because if we had been home, he would wanna be doing all the things. He would wanna be playing with all his special trash, and you can't lift anything heavy after these surgeries. Mm-hmm. So it was great that we were in a place where he couldn't-

Jessica Abreu: Do anything

Mikki Paradis: do anything, and the whole purpose was just to chill. We go back to the beach, but then the day before we leave, we go back to the doctor and same thing. He's, like, going to take the stitches out, and he's like, "Hey, hold this."

Jessica Abreu: Hey, do you mind just, like, cutting that stitch right there? Oh

Mikki Paradis: my god, it's like this...

He [00:25:00] was showing me, 'cause two of the stitches he needed to leave in. And he's like, "Hey, just let me just show you how to do this." He's like, "You can do this at home."

Jessica Abreu: Hmm. Sure. Sure can. Yes. Let me just sterilize some pair of scissors. Pretty much.

Mikki Paradis: My best friend, I told this to my best friend. Her, her husband is a doctor, and she goes, "Nikki, absolutely do not take the stitches out." She's like, "Matt can take the stitches out for you. Like, do not take the stitches out." And I was like, I...

Like, listen, in a pinch will I take them out? Yes, but, like, if I've got somebody that can do it- Actually do it ... without, you know, causing problems, we're gonna go that route. That's for sure. But, so that was my vacation, guys. It was still a vacation. I love El Salvador. We're gonna, we're, we're gonna build a house there.

Like, poom.

Jessica Abreu: And she's gonna have a guest room for me.

Mikki Paradis: Oh, you know I am. You know I am. I, mm, I'm a big fan. You do definitely need to be able to speak Spanish. Like, lessons were learned. I'm so spoiled because Hector's always there. [00:26:00] Mm-hmm. But, like, any time I tried to translate or communicate with anybody when Hector was not there, oh

Jessica Abreu: my God.

Now, what kind of Spanish is it? Is it Spain Spanish? No. Or is it, like, Mexico Spanish?

Mikki Paradis: It's, it's Central American Spanish. It's not- It's Central American. It's- It's not España Spanish No ... it's the other kind. And I, I do definitely think that they have-

Jessica Abreu: And I know they, all the countries have their own special dialect- Yes

but it's more that South American,

Mikki Paradis: Mexican- It, it, the dialect that they speak does not, the translation apps just don't- Mm-mm ... pick it up. Like, there were so many times where, like, it would translate it, and then it would j- it would say, like, this, this, this, and then the word would just be like meh. It was so bad.

Yeah. So Google, if you're watching, which I know you're not, do better. Like, it was so bad. I should also, also learn Spanish, which I'm working on. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but I am determined.

Jessica Abreu: I started learning it. It's, I mean, if you took it in high [00:27:00] school it starts coming back to you.

Mikki Paradis: We'll see. So all right, let's get to our story.

Dun, dun, dun. This one was really I have a friend who's a house flipper. Mm. And so when I, when I saw this story, I was like So today we're talking about every homeowner's dream. You walk into a house and it's absolutely gorgeous. Brand-new white kitchen, quartz countertops, fresh paint, designer lighting, luxury vinyl plank flooring.

Um, I didn't realize that that was as desirable as it is, but it is apparently a very big deal. Beautiful bathrooms. Everything looks brand new. You look at your spouse and you think, "This is it." But what if I told you that some of the prettiest homes on the market are hiding ugly secrets?

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. This is- Mm-hmm

reminds me, when I was looking for a home down here, my real estate- ... agent would be like, "Lipstick on a pig, [00:28:00] Jessica. It's lipstick on a pig." Yeah. Um- That's

Mikki Paradis: such a Southern term .

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. I, I was like, "I don't understand what you're saying," the first bunch of times. You're like, "Oh, no. What that mean?" I was like, "Why would you put lipstick on a pig?"

And she's like, "They're, they made something look pretty- Yeah. Oh, yeah ... so that you don't see that it's really ugly underneath." I was like, "Oh." Facts.

Mikki Paradis: Lipstick on a pig.

Jessica Abreu: Got

Default_2026-07-20_2: it.

Mikki Paradis: That was one of my dad's favorite phrases. He had some real good ones.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: His, his favorite insult was, um, "Have you ever seen an asshole wrapped in plastic?"

And people would be like, "No." And he'd be like, "Pull out your driver's license." He was such a jerk. And that's how I'm me.

Jessica Abreu: It explains so much.

Mikki Paradis: It explains

Jessica Abreu: so much. Oh, my God.

Mikki Paradis: So-

Jessica Abreu: We've walked into homes that looked amazing for the first five minutes. Then we start looking closer. Cabinets were beautiful, but they were installed over rotted sub-basi- Mm

oh, subfloors. Fresh paint? Well, that's covering [00:29:00] up active water damage. Luxury bathrooms? Built without waterproofing. Brand-new flooring? Oh, that's installed over mold. Unfortunately, this happens more often than people realize.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. And today we're diving into documented lawsuits and real homeowner stories involving flipped homes, concealed defects, seller disclosure disputes, and what every buyer needs to know before falling in love with a beautiful renovated house.

Mm-hmm. As always, we're not attorneys- No ... or doctors. Mm-hmm. And this episode isn't legal advice. Laws vary by state, but the lessons from these cases are valuable for every homeowner.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: So picture this A home hits the market on Thursday. The listing photos are stunning. Every room looks like it [00:30:00] belongs in a magazine.

Open shelving, modern fixtures, fresh landscaping. The description says, "Completely renovated from top to bottom." By Friday afternoon, there are six offers. By Saturday, it's under contract. Sound familiar? Sounds like everything that has happened in the state of North Carolina-

Jessica Abreu: Yeah ...

Mikki Paradis: in the last five years.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Not so much right now, but- Mm. But

Mikki Paradis: some- Depends on the neighborhood.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, that's true. So for most places, this is today's real estate market.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Buyers are emotional. They've lost out on multiple houses. They're afraid that if they don't move quickly, that they're going to lose it to somebody else again.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: And unfortunately, that's exactly when mistakes happen. People stop asking questions. They assume because everything is new, that everything was done correctly, and that's a dangerous assumption. When it- oh.

Mikki Paradis: No, you're good. I was just gonna add that, like, th- w- I think it was happening everywhere, but, like, [00:31:00] during COVID when people were, like, realizing that they, they, when they were all home and everybody needed more space- Mm-hmm

and they w- everybody wanted to move, everybody wanted a bigger house. The, it got so crazy here that people, homeowners were waiving inspections. We did. They were just like... You did?

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Woo,

Mikki Paradis: Jessica.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Dang. That's the only way we got the... The only way that... 'Cause we, we were one of the... I mean, we were part of the problem.

Um, let's be honest. I'm gonna- Um, so when we bought our house, we had put bids on at least 20 other houses. Oh, my God. We had seen hundreds of houses. We had been looking for a home for at least six months, and, um, our due diligence-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: they don't have that up north.

Mikki Paradis: Oh, okay.

Jessica Abreu: Um, so- Really?

Mikki Paradis: Oh,

Jessica Abreu: wow. Yeah. No. So we have escrow up north.

Yeah. So it's like you put $5,000- Yeah ... and then you do your inspections and stuff, and if anything's wrong, if the seller and the buyer can't come to [00:32:00] agreement, you get that money back.

Mikki Paradis: Oh, wow. That's cool.

Jessica Abreu: Um, the only- Not the case

Mikki Paradis: here.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. The only time that you don't get that money back is if you were to decide that you no longer want to buy the house.

Yeah, for, like,

Mikki Paradis: no

Jessica Abreu: reason. For no-

Mikki Paradis: Okay ...

Jessica Abreu: for no reason. Like, legitimate

Mikki Paradis: reason. Then

Jessica Abreu: the seller keeps that money- Oh ... and off you go. Okay. But here, that's not the case.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Um, so our due diligence was stupid high because we had lost out on houses doing, like, we, we kept creeping up the amount that we would do.

Oh. And we just kept losing and losing and losing and losing. Oh, my

Mikki Paradis: God. So

Jessica Abreu: when it came to the house that we bought, that we actually, um, our bid got accepted, we went stupid high on the due diligence. We waived inspections. We're like, "We're gonna take this house no matter..."

Mikki Paradis: Oh, man.

Jessica Abreu: Because even if the inspection had come back that like- The roof was leaking.

Mikki Paradis: Right.

Jessica Abreu: We were still gonna buy it because we had put so much money down. Mm. We weren't going to walk away from that money. Right. So

Mikki Paradis: at

Jessica Abreu: that point, we were

Mikki Paradis: like- Ooh, you're like, "Why bother?" Dude, that's crazy.

Jessica Abreu: Would I do it again? No. I mean, but we got lucky.

Mikki Paradis: [00:33:00] You guys did get lucky, 'cause I've been hearing stories all- Mm-hmm

over the news about people who waived their inspections in that- Mm-hmm ... crazy time, and are, like, literally just full of regret, and this story kinda ties into that.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. So don't do what I did. I am the lucky 1% where it didn't- Yes ... go bad.

Mikki Paradis: Yes.

Jessica Abreu: Um, so one of the biggest misconceptions is that new automatically means better.

So my home- Mm ... wasn't also new. Like, nothing was done to it. It was as-is. Yeah, it

Mikki Paradis: was just, like,

Jessica Abreu: the builder- It is what it is.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Um, and people had lived in it. The only thing they had was a new roof because there had been hail damage.

Mikki Paradis: Okay. Allegedly.

Jessica Abreu: Allegedly. Um, and they had- Or

Mikki Paradis: there was just an insurance scam.

Jessica Abreu: Either way- Either way ... new roof They got, they got a new roof. I mean, the house next door to us was hit by lightning, so-

Mikki Paradis: Oh, shit. Okay ...

Jessica Abreu: you know. Mm-hmm. Um, sometimes a flipped home is really beautiful-

Mikki Paradis: Yes ...

Jessica Abreu: and renovated by experienced professionals. Sometimes.

Mikki Paradis: Sometimes.

Jessica Abreu: Sometimes.

Mikki Paradis: Like my friend, it'd be good.

Other people, not so much. Not

Jessica Abreu: so much. Um, but sometimes renovations are cosmetic.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Fresh [00:34:00] paint can hide dry wall, dry wall repairs. Man, I'm having a hard time speaking. Um- Say that three times fast ... new flooring can hide structural movement. Beautiful tile can hide improper waterproofing. Brand-new cabinets can distract buyers from uneven flooring.

Yeah. Um, as contractors, we learn to look past the finishes. What's underneath matters far more than what you can see.

Mikki Paradis: And that is, I mean, time after time, that... So we did, I, I don't know how this lady found me. She was a ER doctor who, on the side, flipped houses. Interesting. Didn't have her general contractor's license.

She was just smart enough to know there was a ton of money in it- Mm-hmm ... um, and was doing all of this stuff not getting permits. Like-

Jessica Abreu: That's why there's a

Mikki Paradis: ton

Jessica Abreu: of money

Mikki Paradis: when you do ... everything she was doing was, like, illegal as hell. And it was just, like, the more kinda work we did for her, the more I just, like, it was just so scammy.

And I, I don't know that [00:35:00] she realized that, like- There were very real consequences to people who were buying these homes. Mm-hmm. They didn't care. Like, I, I don't think it was, like, this, like, super nefarious thing. It was like, "Oh, I'm taking something that nobody wants, and I'm making it into something that people want."

Like, I think she was coming from it from... But, like, the, for the people that were buying that house, they were absolutely buying things that were, they slapped some paint on something that needed to be ripped out and replaced- Mm-hmm ... and instead, it just got painted, and they went into it thinking, "Oh, I'm not gonna have to do any repairs on this house," only months later to be like, "Oh, we had to tear out all the drywall and rewire the house."

Jessica Abreu: That's insane.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. Yeah. Like, nuts sauce. So Mm-mm. Homeowner teaching moment number one is to never judge a renovation by its finishes. Instead, ask, "Were permits pulled?" Because, like, I was talking about this lady, she did not pull permits, and she moved things. Like, she did major plumbing stuff [00:36:00] and did not pull permits.

Mm-mm. Um, who completed the work? Were they licensed? Did, were they, were they proper this is what they do for a living, or were these, like, a handyman who kinda does whatever he can? Are warranties available? So are, d- do your appliances come with warranties? Do, does the house ha- come with a home warranty from whoever is selling it?

Mm. Were licensed trades used? That's a really important one. Can the seller provide documentation? If the answers to these questions are vague, which if you have a shady house flipper, they absolutely will be vague, um, you should run, not walk. Mm-hmm. In, in, in the script it says slow down, but in, in Mickey language, run away from that.

Don't, don't walk away. Do not

Jessica Abreu: buy it.

Mikki Paradis: Run. So one of the landmark cases involving seller disclosures is Johnson versus Davis, decided by the Florida Supreme Court, which to me [00:37:00] is, is wild that this was in Florida, 'cause as we have discussed, Florida is a different universe. Mm-hmm. Like, they do what they want there.

Florida Man is a real thing. Mm-hmm. I didn't make that up. They did. So, um, here's what happened. The buyers purchased a home after the sellers reassured them that the roof was in good condition. And roofs in Florida is a really big deal because they have so much hurricane activity- Mm-hmm ... and so much high winds that hurricane strapping and, like, your roof being strapped down appropriately is a super huge deal.

Mm. I don't know if that has anything to do with this story, but just so you guys know, a roof in Florida is a much bigger deal than a roof here. So after moving in, the buyers discovered serious roof leaks, and that the seller, that the seller already knew about. So the buyer sued. The Supreme Court- The Florida Supreme Court, which in Florida, when you hear Supreme Court, you think, um, [00:38:00] like, oh my God, like it went through all the different courts.

Their base level court is the Supreme Court. Oh. So just so we're clear about that. I learned that when I was doing the research, and I was like, way to make it seem way more formal than it actually is. Mm-hmm. So the Florida Supreme Court ruled that when a seller knows about facts that materially affect the value of the home, and that those facts aren't w- readily available, the seller has the duty to disclose them to the buyer.

Mm-hmm. That is also the case here in North Carolina. Um-

Jessica Abreu: It's in most states.

Mikki Paradis: It is in most states. The, it, 'cause like I know the same thing was in Georgia for that, that house that I, um, like investigated for the, the buyer who was kind of in the same situation. It was flipped, and so many things were wrong.

The disclosure is, you have to, if they find out there's something wrong, they have to disclose that or they can be sued and be found, um- Mm-hmm ... liable. So the discussion, that, that decision fundamentally [00:39:00] changed seller disclosure laws in Florida and has influenced decisions in many other states.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm, and that case is in s- is still incredibly relevant today.

If someone paints over water stains, covers damaged drywall, or intentionally hides a known problem, that's very difficult, that's very different from simply not knowing that there is an issue.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Intent matters. It

Mikki Paradis: really does.

Jessica Abreu: Knowledge matters, and documentation really matters.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, so here's where flippers created confusion.

Sometimes the person selling the home didn't actually live there. They bought it, they renovated it, they sold it. So buyers assumed, oh, they probably don't, didn't know anything about the house. Sometimes that's true. I mean, we, we've never lived in, in, in the, in our short-term rental. Mm-hmm. So it's like if there were something going on in a short-term rental, I [00:40:00] wouldn't know about it, 'cause I've never lived there.

Mm-hmm. So sometimes that's the case, but sometimes it isn't. Um, the question the courts often examine is whether the seller knew or reasonably should have known about a significant defect, um, and failed to disclose it. Every ca- case kind of depends on that specific fact.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm. I feel like if you're renovating a house, chances are you would know what the issues are, even if you're not living there full time.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, like I mean-

Jessica Abreu: I mean, if you're ripping down stuff or doing things, like- Yeah ... you're going to know that there's some kind of problem.

Mikki Paradis: And I, like one of the things that I think m- people 'Cause mold is such a hot topic word- Mm ... that, like, I think one of the things people are more likely to, like, they, if they open up a wall and they see mold, they just put that wall right back up and it's like, "Oh, didn't see it, don't know about it."

Yeah. And it's like, mm, that, that's- Right ... actually a really big, it's a really big deal. So homeowner [00:41:00] teaching moment number two is before making an offer, ask for the seller's disclosure statements. Compare it with inspection reports. Ask specifically about previous leaks, mold, foundation repairs, and structural work.

If major renovations were completed, ask who performed them and whether permits were obtained. Those questions may feel uncomfortable, but they're much less uncomfortable than paying for a $75,000 repair- Mm ... after closing Um, so when this next segment is when the inspector misses it, which is kind of a hot topic right now.

One of the biggest misconceptions buyers have is the home inspector will catch everything. Um, let's just be clear, they absolutely will not. So home inspectors are no [00:42:00] different from general contractors in the sense that there are some really great home inspectors out there that really know their stuff, and have been doing this forever, and they know what to look for, and there are home inspectors that took a class online and now call themself home inspectors.

Apparently, in some states you don't even need to have any experience. Mm-hmm. You can just open up a company and say you're a home inspector now. So and there's language, like when you hire a home inspector and you sign the contract, you void any kind of legal responsibility that that home inspector has.

Like, they have language in there that basically frees them from being sued or being held accountable for missing anything. Like, it basically says, "You're we're gonna look with our eyes around your house, and if we, with our eyes we don't see anything wrong, then we don't see anything wrong. But if you find out later that there was something [00:43:00] wrong, it's not our fault."

That's pretty much what every single home

Jessica Abreu: inspection- Ah, I need a job like that Right? It's like being a weatherman. Seriously. Like, you can be wrong all the time and not have repercussions. I wanna

Mikki Paradis: get paid. Like, and like home inspections aren't cheap. Like, I think for the townhouse, which was a new- new construction build, we still did it anyway just 'cause of the things that we've seen- Mm

on this podcast. We still had a home inspection.

Jessica Abreu: Yep.

Mikki Paradis: It was probably two or $300. Like, they're not cheap, and for them to be able to do this work and have absolutely no consequences if they- Mm ... miss something is bananas to me. So um, they absolutely won't. The home inspection is a visual inspection.

Inspectors- inspectors genuinely don't open walls. They don't remove flooring. Mm-hmm. They don't dismantle showers. They don't perform, um, destructive testing. If a problem is hidden, . It may not be discoverable during a standard inspection.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: I've had home inspectors miss- [00:44:00] miss, air quotes, things that were visually obvious, and they still weren't held accountable.

Mm. Like, putting all of your faith into the home inspector is a mistake. And it's funny 'cause I was giving Jess a hard time about not getting a home inspection, and we're sitting here talking about how home inspections are kind of-

Jessica Abreu: A waste ...

Mikki Paradis: a bull, a bunch of bull. But at the same time, it's like, but if you have a good home inspector- Right

then they do catch something that helps you. So it's one of those things where it's like you're almost damned if you do or you're damned if you don't.

Jessica Abreu: Exactly. I've opened walls that looked perfect from ... Well, I haven't opened walls, but, like, walls have been opened in my home- Yeah. ... that looked perfect.

Let's be honest, I am not taking a sledgehammer to anything. They're perfect from the outside- Yeah ... and inside you find black mold.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Missing insulation, rotting framing, um, improper electrical work. None of that is visible until after demolition. Yeah. So that's why buyers should understand the limitations of a standard home inspection.[00:45:00]

If something raises concern, it may be worth bringing in a specialist, a structural engineer, roofer, plumber, or mold assessor-

Mikki Paradis: Yes ...

Jessica Abreu: before closing, rather than relying on the general inspection itself.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. I feel like the general inspection is a great way for you to look thr- like, get an idea of if you need to bring a specialist in.

Mm-hmm. Like, if ... And, and I feel like every single, any, anybody who's ever gotten a home inspection before is gonna, they're gonna hear this with their whole souls. Like, the inspection report reads, "HVAC has blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Consult an HVAC specialist." So basically, the entire home inspection report just tells you which specialist that you now need to consult with.

Mm-hmm. So it's like, it's like the syllabus to the class you're about to take. It's letting you know, these are the things that you need to look into. Mm-hmm. And then you need to hire the specialist. So, um, let's go through lawsuit number two when as is [00:46:00] doesn't mean anything goes. Mm-hmm. One of the biggest misconceptions in real estate is the phrase as is.

People hear those words and they think the seller has zero responsibility. That's not always true. An as is sale generally means the buyer accepts the property's condition, but in many states that doesn't allow- the seller to intentionally conceal known material defects or commit fraud. A great example is the Florida Supreme Court decision we discussed earlier in Johnson v.

Davis. Even though the buyers are expected to do their own due diligence, sellers cannot simply hide major defects they know about, and then rely on the as is language to avoid responsibility.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, so there's a huge difference between I didn't know and I knew, covered it up, and hoped [00:47:00] you'd never find it.

Those are two very different situations.

Mikki Paradis: It's like imagine buying what appears to be, like, a perfect home, like, that, like ... 'Cause I've renovated every home that I've ever lived in, and I imagine that there's gonna be a day, right, where, like, the house that I move into, like, it's move-in ready and I don't have to do any renovations.

And I can only imagine buying something that I'm like, "It's perfect. It's move-in ready," and three months later, a heavy rainstorm comes through and water starts dripping from the recessed lighting. Mm-hmm. No ma'am. Then another leak appears. The contractor removes a section of the drywall, and behind the wall everything is black.

It's mold. It's rotted. There, that, and there's obvious previous repairs. Mm-hmm. That's the part that, that, where this becomes an issue, because they knew it was a problem. There was a previous repair, and they didn't disclose it, so evidence the leak had been happening [00:48:00] long before the home was sold. Suddenly, that beautiful renovation doesn't seem so beautiful anymore.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-mm. And here's something that buyers ra- rarely think about. Fresh paint isn't proof something was fixed. Sometimes it's proof something is covered.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Um, so you might walk into a newly renovated home, and you immediately look at ceiling texture differences. That would be a clue that something was wrong.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. Or- So if you see, like, a ceiling, so, so if they have popcorn ceilings, and, like, one side looks like the traditional popcorn ceiling everywhere, and then the other side seems like something happened there, that's 'cause there was a repair there. Mm-hmm. They pop- they pulled the drywall out, and then it's almost impossible to match texture.

Yeah. Like, you have to be really skilled, because nobody does popcorn ceilings anymore.

Jessica Abreu: It's also with just paint, because we had one of my darlings, um-

Mikki Paradis: One of my

Jessica Abreu: darlings ... f- um, made their [00:49:00] toilet overflow on the s- of course, on the second floor. Of course they did. It wasn't, it wasn't on the first. And, um, it was shortly after we had moved in.

And so I saw- the w- the spot on my ceiling, and I was like, "Oh, crap." So like we had somebody come in- Yeah ... make the hole, but they repaired it.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: But I can still see where, it's the exact same color paint. With new paint.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: But I can see where- Yeah ... it's different.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jessica Abreu: So they can't- Something like that

you can't hide it.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: You can't hide it. Um, it-

Mikki Paradis: They tried to, though.

Jessica Abreu: They did. Well, I did.

Mikki Paradis: Well, I mean, you're not selling your house without- No ... but also, that's not a, a continuous issue. Like- No, that was just- ... shit happens.

Jessica Abreu: You know.

Mikki Paradis: Kids overflow toilets.

Jessica Abreu: Kids overflow toilets. It's amazing what they throw in there.

So intense. Um, there's new baseboards only in one room, uneven flooring transitions- Mm ... brand-new trim around one window- ... and fresh caulking everywhere. Um, those aren't automatically [00:50:00] problems. It doesn't mean that there is one. It's just something to tell you to investigate that further.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Which brings us to teaching moment numero quatro, four.

Mikki Paradis: No,

Jessica Abreu: three. Three, oh, sorry.

Mikki Paradis: Tres.

Jessica Abreu: We're, we've been doing this ... I'm like, "Are we on four now?" No, only three. Um, if a house- Either way ... either way, we're on three. I can read, and count apparently. If a house has obviously been flipped, ask these questions. Why was this room repainted? Can I see before and after photos?

Mm. Yeah. 'Cause they have them. Even if they say they don't, somebody took a picture. Um, were permits pulled? Was the work inspected? And who completed the work? Professional flippers usually have documentation. If nobody has answers, that's all the information you need.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. And, and that really is true. Like the- Mm-hmm

the, the, [00:51:00] fr- a friend of mine who flips houses, like she is an interior designer, and she uses licensed general contractors. So she's not a, a general, licensed general contractor- Mm-hmm ... and she doesn't claim to be. Um, but she always has before and afters. She documents everything. Mm. 'Cause she, she knows like a, an informed home buyer w- might ask these questions, and she wants to have that information available.

Mm-hmm. So when somebody doesn't, you know-

Jessica Abreu: They're making everybody else look bad

Mikki Paradis: They are making everybody else look bad. And, and the, the truth is, right, like, if, if, if they don't have that information, yes, they're gonna find somebody who's not gonna ask those questions, and you might not buy that house.

You might miss out on buying that house.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: More than likely, that's probably a good thing. It could turn out where those people live in that house for 15 years and they have no problems. But when somebody does a r- a massive renovation and they don't have any kind of documentation, they don't have any kind of proof that, you know, oh yes, th- we pulled permits, these were, these were the [00:52:00] contractors we used, everybody was licensed, everything was above board, eh, statistically the chances that you're gonna end up having problems are pretty high.

Mm-hmm. So another case that's often comes up in discussions about seller disclosures is- Obadele how do you say that? Just, I don't know Obed Obed versus another doozy Schulmeier Schulmeier, um, that decided, that was decided by the Washington Supreme Court. In that case, the sellers knew the property had a termite infestation.

Ew The buyers didn't. The sellers failed to disclose it. The courts found that remaining silent about a known latent defect could constitute fraudulent concealment. Why does that matter? Because termites, hidden water damage, foundation movement, mold behind walls, [00:53:00] these are all examples of conditions a buyer may not disclose during a normal walkthrough.

Jessica Abreu: Mm. So think about it. You spend 45 minutes looking at a house, maybe two hours during an inspection. You're making a decision on what might be the biggest purchase of your life- Right ... based on very limited- Yeah ... knowledge and just looking at it, and that's why documentation is so important.

Mikki Paradis: I mean, it really is wild.

So across the country, investigative news organizations have documented homeowners who purchased beautifully renovated homes only to discover serious concealed defects after closing. Common themes included bathroom remodels without waterproofing. Mm That is one of the biggest... And, and to be, like, really upfront about that, the waterproofing movement only happened within, like, the last, I'm gonna say, like, five or six years.

It could be, like, 10 or so years, [00:54:00] but when I first started doing drywall 21 years ago, there was no waterproofing happening in showers. You were, like, lucky if the dry- if the, the builder put a, a, a drywall, like, a mold-resistant drywall behind the tile. Mm. So it went, like, it was like b- at one phase it was the upgrade was you were using mold-resistant drywall and then tiling to it.

Then it changed to, okay, we're using, like, a, a concrete backer board- putting the tile directly on that. Then it changed to this full waterproofing system because the water intrusion- Mm-hmm ... it was getting so serious that they, like, there were, like, these steps, these progressions. So that is one of those things, especially, too, if you're buying an older house, to know that you don't have the kind of waterproofing that they are putting into new construction homes.

Like it- Mm. 'Cause now it's code, but back then it was just like, you know, do whatever you want.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. We didn't

Mikki Paradis: know any better. And if you're not, and if you're updating something now and you're not getting it [00:55:00] inspected, then there's a good chance then that, that water intrusion- Waterproofing. Mm ... that waterproofing was not done correctly.

So, um, so there's bathroom remodels without waterproofing, decking built without permits, which is super common, roofing installed over damaged sheeting, electrical panels modified improperly, structural beams cut during renovations, which I have seen that all over the place. Mm-mm. And fresh paint concealing previous water intrusions.

These stories often end with expensive litigation because proving who knew what and why they n- and when they knew it is rarely simple.

Jessica Abreu: And here's the frustrating part. Sometimes the contractor is gone. Sometimes the flipper created an LLC that's already dissolved. Mm, mm-hmm. Sometimes warranties have expired.

Sometimes insurance doesn't apply. And that's why [00:56:00] preventing the problem is always cheaper than fighting over it later.

Mikki Paradis: Do you wanna do homeowner-

Jessica Abreu: And now it's- ...

Mikki Paradis: number four?

Jessica Abreu: Really number four this time. Listen.

Mikki Paradis: We're doing the best we can. I

Jessica Abreu: am doing the best I can. I am having trouble coming back from vacation.

Um, before buying any renovated home, this is what you should do. Read every page of the seller disclosure, and really, you should have your real estate agent look at it, too.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Like, that's part- They see things ... of their job. Yeah,

Mikki Paradis: yeah, yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Um, research permit history with your local building department.

Review the property sale history. You know, if it was bought two months ago- Right ... and now it's for sale again at a much higher price, that's always a red flag. Oh, yeah.

Mikki Paradis: That definitely was a flip, 100%. Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: There's lipstick on a pig on that one. Um, ask for- I'm so Southern now.

Mikki Paradis: You are.

Jessica Abreu: Ask for- I'm so proud of you

contractor information. Hire a specialist if anything concerns you. Spending the extra 500 to [00:57:00] $1,000 before closing could save you tens of thousands of dollars later.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Even if you don't end up buying the house, because then it's just saving you that headache, too.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, yeah, 100%. Mm-hmm. So let's finish with some rapid fire red flags.

Jessica Abreu: Hmm.

Mikki Paradis: If you're touring a flipped house, what immediately catches your attention?

Jessica Abreu: Number one, fresh paint on only one wall or the ceiling. Why is it only in that area? Right. Number two

Mikki Paradis: I'll, I'll do two.

Jessica Abreu: Do go ahead.

Mikki Paradis: Brand new flooring that suddenly changes f- direction or material, which I actually see that a lot.

Yeah. That means that they're, they pulled it up for some reason. Why is that? Mm.

Jessica Abreu: Number three, the doors don't latch. Could be normal. Could also indicate structural movement.

Mikki Paradis: That is actually a big one. When the doors don't latch, that could really be... It could, it could just be that, like, the door, because, like, when, at our townhouse- Like swell

Jessica Abreu: and,

Mikki Paradis: yeah

our door wasn't latching [00:58:00] correctly. Mm-hmm. They just needed to adjust the door. But, like, if you have a ton of interior walls or doors- Mm-hmm ... that are not latching, there's a good chance that there's some, that your, your house is kinda moving structurally. So that's a big deal. Um, so number four is cracks above the windows and doors.

Like cracks in the drywall. Um, we actually see this a lot, and it doesn't necessarily mean that you have a structural issue. It, sometimes it can be that the drywallers put the, put the seam, like they cut the board right at the edge of the, of the window. Mm. And if there's any kind of movement in your house, the path of least resistance is what is gonna crack first.

So I have, I have seen houses where the drywall literally broke because the house was twisting so much that it broke the drywall. But a little crack ab- above a window is not necessarily a sign that there's something- Major ... going on. But if [00:59:00] every window has cracks like that, and they're big cracks, and they're cracks with gaps, that is something, 'cause, like, 'cause a lot of people will freak out when they see, like, a little crack in the drywall.

But that could very well be 'cause that's just how they hung it.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: It's not necessarily an issue. But if there's like a gap and you can see framing, okay, different story.

Jessica Abreu: That's a different story.

Mikki Paradis: Yes.

Jessica Abreu: Number five, a strong air freshener.

Mikki Paradis: Well, if it's my house, it's just 'cause I have 9 million dogs.

Jessica Abreu: Yes. I mean, it could just be a candle.

Um, you know- Right ... simply making the house smell good. Or- That we always like it ... you know- Or it could be covering up- ... covering up

Mikki Paradis: mold. Mold

Jessica Abreu: and moisture. And so, like, if there's a little hint of something else under there, you might wanna look into it more.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. The next one is recently painted basement, basement walls, which we don't have a lot of basements in North Carolina.

Basement. But I know up north they have a lot.

Jessica Abreu: Everywhere. I love a basement.

Mikki Paradis: And why that's a potential issue is because if it's recently painted, then is it, is it covering up a water intrusion? Is it [01:00:00] covering up leaks? Is it covering up that it's, the, that waterproofing is failing? Mm-hmm. Um, you wanna do number seven?

Jessica Abreu: Yes. Number seven is no permit documentation despite extensive renovations. That should immediately trigger more questions.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. And there's a lot of people who I know have bought- renovated houses from that lady that they just bought it, didn't know, there was not a single permit pulled

Jessica Abreu: Like, "It's new. We love it."

Mikki Paradis: I'm like, man, I really hope that works out. Mm-hmm. So today's message isn't that every flipped house is bad. Far from it. Many professional renovatiors, renovators, renovations, many professional renovators- Renovators ... produce outstanding work. The lesson is this: beautiful finishes don't guarantee quality construction.

Jessica Abreu: No, so when you're buying a home, slow down. Yeah. Ask questions, read disclosures, verify permits, and make sure, um, that you hire good [01:01:00] inspectors, if you can find them. And don't let emotions rush you into one of the biggest financial, um, decisions that you're ever going to make.

Mikki Paradis: Facts. And I know it's really hard because the, the buying market is so crazy, but waiting for the right house instead of just, like, throwing caution to the wind- Mm-hmm

will save you a lot of headaches. So we love the fact that you guys are willing to share your stories with us. We hope that this doesn't, hasn't happened to you, but if you are somebody who has bought a flipped house and you had a bad experience, we would love it if you would write in and share that with us so that we can share that with, with other people to help them- Mm-hmm

understand the things, additional things that they need to look for or that they should avoid. Um, you can go to chicksinconstruction.com. You scroll down just a little ways and there's a form. You can fill it out, share your story with us so we can share your story with everyone. [01:02:00] Jess, where can they find us in the socials?

Jessica Abreu: On Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, it's @chicksinconstructionpodcast. On TikTok, it's @chicksinconstruction.

Mikki Paradis: And listen, guys, the TikTok, it be poppin'. I don't read the comments, but I hear they are spicy. So if you wanna have a moment where you're, like, on your lunch break, you just, you just, like, tune in for some tea- Mm

it's a great place to hear, to hear some real spicy one-liners. So check it out. All right, guys, we'll see you in the next one. Bye.

Jessica Abreu: Bye. All