Homes by Towne - Robbed my money I have never in my life dealt with a worse company. Sarasota FL

Please Read This Before Signing with Homes by Towne

A personal plea from a husband, a father, and a man who trusted the wrong people.
Homes by Towne!

My wife and I recently had to make the heartbreaking, unexpected decision to cancel our agreement to build what we believed would be our forever home with Homes by Towne. This wasn’t just a house—it was a symbol of everything we had worked, prayed, and sacrificed for. A new chapter, after years of fighting through life’s hardest moments. We believed we were finally turning a corner.
We were wrong.

Here is our unbelievable experience and backstory.

My wife is a warrior. She is a two-time cancer survivor, thanks to the incredible team at Memorial Sloan Kettering. She’s been through hell and still wakes up every morning with a smile on her face—putting everyone else before herself, including me. She is my heart. My best friend. The love of my life for nearly 30 years. And yet, after more recent surgeries, new complications emerged. She now needs to be on a pump and faces another surgery for fluid-related damage to her eyes. It feels like life keeps taking from her—yet she never stops giving.

This home was supposed to be her sanctuary. Our peace. Our last chapter—together.

We entered this agreement with Homes by Towne after asking them repeatedly what would happen if health issues forced us to cancel. Their answer was always warm, comforting, and clear:
“We’re a small, family-run company. In all my years here, we’ve never kept anyone’s money if the project wasn’t far along. We’re not like that.”

They made us believe we were in good hands.

We blindly trusted them. Because we wanted to.  We had a dream. Silly us.

When we finally had to make this tragic unexpected decision to have no choice but to cancel our dream—we were devastated, terrified, and at the same time financially overwhelmed - we explained our terrible situation we were sure we would be met with total compassion  and just the bare minimum of humanity.  No, just the complete opposite, we were met with cold indifference. I couldn’t believe it, is this possible, am I misunderstanding? No, it was like I was having a nightmare. When am I going to wake up.  Not a single permit had been pulled. No construction had begun. Just three short design meetings which we paid to travel to—some of which they rescheduled at our cost without a care. This can not be true, it can not be happening. 

We had even met with other builders prior to signing with Homes by Towne and had gone through more detailed design and planning with them—at no charge, because they were trying to earn our business. That’s what ethical businesses do. So by the time we signed, we came to Homes by Towne prepared and knew what we wanted, saving them time and work. And yet, despite doing absolutely nothing—the bare minimum at best—Homes by Towne refused to return our deposit, wanting to essentially stealing our money.

We begged them. Explained everything. We weren’t walking away because we changed our minds. We were walking away because life had cornered us. Because we were desperately trying to hold onto what matters most: each other.

We even shared with them that we hoped to take a trip to Italy—a last Hail Mary effort for some kind of spiritual peace or hope. Others had spoken about the healing power of that kind of journey, and we were willing to try anything. We explained this to Homes by Towne, hoping—praying—for a shred of compassion.

But there was none.
Nothing.
Just cold silence, bordering on what could only be evil.

We couldn’t go—because Homes by Towne was holding our money hostage.

Their response?
“Everyone has problems.”

A perfect example of narcissistic entitlement. Cold, transactional, and heartless—like a corporate Ken or Karen. Smiling while they dismiss your pain. Pretending to be helpful while twisting the knife with business-suited indifference. That’s the energy we got. Every word felt rehearsed, like they had already told themselves our story didn’t matter.

They claimed they were being “generous” by not taking all our money. Then offered us a pathetic “deal” that was nothing short of robbery.

No work done. No permits. No foundation. Only a couple of short meetings at best.
Just greed. Plain and simple.

Homes by Towne will spin this. They’ll hide behind fine print and lawyer-crafted language. But this isn’t just about a contract. This is about human decency. About compassion. About recognizing when someone is drowning—and choosing not to throw them a stone instead of a rope.

What they did wasn’t just unethical. It felt like something unbelievable and just plain evil.

Only afterward did we learn this wasn’t unique. We’ve since read reviews, heard stories, and talked to others who were also blindsided. The pattern is clear: once you sign, the kind salesperson disappears. And if anything goes wrong, you’re met with silence, blame, or cold dismissal.

We should have done more research. We should have seen the signs. But when someone tells you, face to face, that they operate with integrity—you want to believe them. Especially when you're trying to build your dream.

So here you are—here is the information we wish we knew before we committed.

I’ve spent 37 years in EMS in New York City—33 of them in leadership. I’ve seen tragedy. I’ve held the hands of dying strangers. I’ve given everything to serve others. And yet, I’ve never felt as small and powerless as I did when this company refused to show an ounce of compassion for the woman I love and the life we’ve built together.

I spoke to six other builders after this ordeal. Every single one was disgusted. One said, “That’s not business—that’s bullying.” Another told me, “That’s blood money. I couldn’t sleep at night if I ran my company that way.”

This is why companies like Homes by Towne survive. Because most people—good people—walk away quietly, too tired and heartbroken to fight.

But I won’t be quiet.

Please—if you’re thinking about building a home, do your homework. Ask the hard questions. Get everything in writing. Don’t let a polished smile fool you. And if life ever throws you into a crisis—if illness, loss, or tragedy hits your door—know that Homes by Towne will not care. They’ll take your money. Re-sell your lot. And profit from your pain.

When I gave them one final chance to do the right thing—or I’d share our experience with the world—their response was chilling:
“It’s happened before. And it will happen again.”
People write bad reviews, and yet our business thrives.
Wow.

That’s who they are.

I don’t want this to happen to anyone else. Especially not while you’re already trying to survive something bigger than yourself. Especially not while you’re battling trauma, PTSD, or the emotional weight of hearing the Big C word again. The last thing anyone should have to fight for in a moment of crisis is basic human decency.

Money is just paper to these executives.
But to families like mine? It’s survival. It’s care. It’s time. It’s hope.

What happened to the human factor?

We have documentation. Emails. Recordings. Evidence that shows everything I’ve said is not just true—it’s worse. And if sharing this helps one person avoid this nightmare, then at least something good can come from our pain.

Let’s be the karma. Let’s hold companies accountable when they lose sight of people.
Shame on Homes by Towne.