NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office is asking for information from people who did business with a local homebuilder that has declared bankruptcy.
In a Facebook post, the sheriff’s office asked residents who have been under contract with The Reed Group Elite Homes to call Detective Lumpkin at 904-548-4049 if they:
- Have had a lien placed on their property by Reed Group Elite Homes
- Have noticed any unauthorized transfers from Southeastern Bank regarding The Reed Group
- Have any information regarding suspected fraud with The Reed Group
Dozens of comments have already been shared on the post, saying they had dealings with the company.
The Reed Group started suing clients last November, but many of those customers filed counterclaims against the company, saying Reed Group didn’t complete the work they paid for. Some even accused the company of falsifying records.
All of the suits were dismissed last week when the Reed Group announced it filed for bankruptcy.
Craig Seabrooks and his wife Nicole were hoping to be moved into their Hilliard home by Christmas — of 2022. But they said their custom home builder The Reed Group Elite Homes never finished the project.
“We signed our contract with them in 2021, end of 2021. After we sold our home of 20 years in Arlington. We wanted to move into the country. This is supposed to be our forever home,” Seabrooks said. “We noticed red flags. When he requested a draw number to draw number two, we were like, Okay, well, something’s wrong. We’re getting an invoice for plumbing that’s already here.”
Next month will be one year since any work was completed on the Seabrooks’ home and one year since The Reed Group filed a $30,000 lien on their property which the Seabrooks are trying to get dismissed in court.
“He owes us about $300,000. And that’s not including the actual house itself. These are things that we paid for such as the doors,” Seabrooks said. “It pisses me off because we drive by it every day. He lives right around the corner from us.”
The Seabrooks, who started an online fundraiser to help with the cost, are not the only homeowners having problems with The Reed Group. Just three miles down the Road is Amy Kutylo’s house which is also sitting unfinished. Now she and her husband are in the process of finishing the home themselves.
Kutylo has multiple liens on her house from unpaid subcontractors. She’s paid $229,000 to The Reed Group and says she’s owed $66,000 in overpayment for the work that was never completed.
“I’ve sent him letters certified. I’ve sent him emails we sent him text we sent him phone calls. He won’t respond at all,” Kutylo said.
News4JAX also left voicemails for the owner of company, Michael Chad Reed, and showed up at the address listed for the business online, but no one came to the door or returned phone calls.
Just last week, the company filed for bankruptcy, listing dozens of local subcontractors whom they owe money. It all adds up to more than $1.3 million in debt.
“I know, I’ll probably never see my money again. But I just, you can’t continue to do this to people. If, if my if that’s why I’m in this to help stop this guy, it’s then then so be it. That’s what it is,” Kutylo said.