Chapter 7 - Harold’s advances
Harold had also put money into the property.
Real money.
That complicated everything.
Over three years:
$118,000.
Roof deductible.
Landscaping.
Property taxes one quarter when trust distribution was delayed.
Emergency plumbing.
Pool repair.
He called them:
Loans to the house.
Meridian called most:
Voluntary advances pending documentation.
Were they gifts?
Some emails sounded like gifts.
Harold:
I’ll cover this. Mom would roll over if we let the roof rot.
Other emails:
Put this on the house ledger. I expect reimbursement eventually.
Mixed.
Then Carla built a spreadsheet listing:
Harold creditor balance:
$164,700.
Why higher than $118k?
Interest.
Administrative fees.
“Carrying costs.”
No signed loan agreement.
Meridian never agreed to interest.
Yet the proposed sale packet treated Harold as a secured creditor.
He was not.
Then Judith.
She contributed:
$27,000 in furnishings and landscaping.
She wanted reimbursement too.
Not necessarily unreasonable if property benefited.
But furniture they personally used is not automatically trust debt.
Then Naomi?
Me.
I had paid household utilities.
Groceries.
Some repairs.
I never treated them as debt.
Because I lived there.
Harold apparently treated every dollar as an investment in control.
Then one email:
Harold to Carla:
If Meridian recognizes what I’m owed, sale proceeds need to clear me first.
Carla:
That gives you leverage even if they won’t give you title.
There.
Leverage.
Not ownership.
Then:
North Elm can handle the balance.
May you like
Who was North Elm?
Still unknown.
