Florida retiree says he thought home was paid off before learning of hidden reverse mortgage. Then he was sued for $190K
A retired Florida man said he believed he was safe in his home until he learned there had been an incident. reverse mortgage It was removed years ago without his knowledge.
Now, the Volusia County senior is in danger of losing his home due to a federal foreclosure lawsuit.
“Am I going to survive this? I don’t know,” Bill Tavernier told WFTV Channel 9 in a Feb. 25 report. “My dog and I are going to be homeless. That’s what I’m looking at.”
According to the publisher, Tavernier moved into his mother’s home about 20 years ago to help care for her. It was added to the title deed in 2007. After his mother died in 2013, he continued to live there, believing that he had full ownership of the property because his mother had already paid off her first mortgage.
But what he didn’t know, Channel 9 reported, was that the woman had taken out a reverse mortgage in 2001 and was facing a lawsuit last year from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) seeking to collect nearly $190,000 in principal, interest and fees. Tavernier relies primarily on Social Security income and doesn’t have the money to pay the balance.
His story shows how important it is for families to communicate about finances, and how misunderstandings—especially when it comes to transferring assets—can cause serious financial trouble.
Reverse mortgages allow older homeowners to borrow against their home equity, often without making monthly payments. Repayment on these loans is usually made when the borrower dies or sells the house. The most common reverse mortgage is the federally insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage.
In Tavernier’s case, his mother had borrowed nearly $70,000, according to Channel 9. Upon Tavernier’s death, the balance was due, although he continued to live in the house. However, Tavernier claims that there was no correspondence from the borrower and that his mother never told him about the loan.
“That generation… you didn’t discuss any of this with your children,” he said.
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So how come he didn’t get a credit notice until 2025? Orlando real estate attorney Barry Miller told Channel 9 he suspects HUD may not have realized Tavernier’s mother was dead until the home went on the market last year. Now calling the loan.
