Please take a few minutes to read what my situation is and let me know if I have any recourse:

I feel that these people have seriously taken advantage of me in more ways than one and I am afraid that they will do this to someone else.

I currently live in New Zealand but previously lived in Waldorf, Maryland. I met these counselors when I was going through some extreme emotional problems. I was a patient of theirs and considered them my friends. I started getting counseling from them in 2002.

When I told them that I was thinking about going to New Zealand in 2003 and that I would have to sell my house. After this they befriended me. Taking me to dinner. Going to movies. We even shared Thanksgiving together. I really believed that they were my friends.

After they explained to me that they were having financial difficulties, I thought I would be able to help them by letting them use my house as an office and accommodation, by putting their practice downstairs and they live upstairs so that they could save money. They also wanted your very ill mother to be close by as she needed a lot of attention. And they couldn't afford a house in Waldorf as well as an office as they were having financial difficulties. So when I mentioned about wanting to leave the US and see what New Zealand had to offer with my partner they put the idea to me as a way of solving my renting or selling the house and they'd have a house in Waldorf to live in ,care for their mother in and also to practice in and I wouldn't have to worry about the stress involved with renting/selling a house from overseas. It seemed like they were doing a very friendly thing.

I signed the power of attorney so that they could take care of the premises, as this would make it easier while I was out of the country. They used this power of attorney without my knowledge to put the title in their name and are now in the process of selling my house with out even giving me any thought in this matter. The only purpose of the power of attorney was so that they could take care of the premises while I was gone.

The only way I found out about the potential sale was when the buyer did a title search and discovered that the mortgage was still in my name and that the title was transferred via a power of attorney and not via a Bill of Sale (because I never sold them my house). They thought this sounded fishy, so they contacted me in New Zealand to ask about my intentions.

Needless to say, I am shocked about this. These people are in the process of stealing my house. I have no money for an attorney and I am an emotional wreck over this. How can they do this to me?

I feel that they have seriously crossed the line between patient/consoler relationships. I feel this whole situation was unethical as they were with me advising me to so some thing at my most confused and emotionally distraught time.

I was in a deep depression at the time and they took advantage of me and as my consoler they knew that.

I am asking and pleading to you to please help me save my house and to save my sanity.

Hi SpiderfromMars,

I am shocked and appauled that someone would stoop that low to befriend you then use your good intentions to their advantage. If you are still in New Zealand do they have the equivalent of legal aid?? There has to be some type of free legal service available to you. Ultimately you may have to come back to protect and keep your property. I think it will be very difficult to conduct business concerning your home in Maryland while you are currently in New Zealand. This is considered fraud and misrepresentations and I believe you can claim Duress as a defense, meaning you were under pressure and stress and in a bind and you signed over power of attorney for different purposes and it was never your intention to "give" your house away. There are laws to protect people who sign a legally binding agreement under mispresentations to be able to get out of the original agreement in your case forfeit the power of attorney. This is in no way legal advise, I am in a similar bind myself and trying to read as much information as I can to try to help my self out of my situation. I do have a sister-in-law who is an attorney, if you have further questions post it and I will ask for you. I hope this works out and best of luck getting the creeps out of your home.

Yes, you are so correct. The 'Maryland State Board of Prof Counselors' agree and will be pressing criminal charges against them. I also found a lawyer who will represent me until the house is able to be sold (and he'll be paid out of the sale of the house) who is putting a block on the title until this gets sorted. This will take some time, but it will be made right one way or another. I was amazed to find how many professional real estate and legal people have given me their time for free once they found out what is going on. There are indeed some good people out there.

Hey,

I am glad that you have taken the step in the right direction and sought legal counsel. Make sure you aggressively pursue any means available to you to seek legal action against these people to protect your property. I would advise you to keep in touch with your legal counsel to keep current on what is going on with your case. Good luck to you and I know you will prevail!!!

I am wondering what kind of power of attorney you gave or if they altered it. You should be able to revoke the power of attorney and halt their being in the home and any legal actions they have taken not consistent with your limited power of attorney. Sounds like y ou have acted reasonably. Good luck.

I have done all that you have mentioned. At the instructions of my attorneys, I am not able to talk about the case until it is completed. Don't worry, though, I will post the results of my case on this forum once it has been completed so that others may benefit.