After spending close to 30 years in the Azaela Park house she calls home, a Florida woman is now fighting to keep from being kicked out.

The house in question was purchased by John Ferenc in 1981 and was intended to be the place where he and his new wife, Loretta Jean, would build a life together.

Plans were spoiled, however, when Ferenc was sent to prison for burglary, grand theft and other crimes shortly after the couple’s marriage. During Ferenc’s sentence, Loretta stayed in the house, working for the Boy Scouts of America to pay off the mortgage.

Ferenc was released from prison in 2009 after serving a 26-year sentence. Following his release, he filed for divorce and is now using a court order to force Loretta Ferenc to vacate the house.

Loretta Ferenc told the Orlando Sentinel that her ex-husband intends to sell the home for $41,000. The price tag would be $11,700 less than what the couple paid for the home more than three decades ago.

According to the court order, the 72-year-old Florida woman must be out of the home by 1 p.m. Thursday.

“I’m just sick about it,” Ferenc told the Orlando Sentinel. “I’ve got my fingers crossed.”

Ferenc further explained that she doesn’t want to move and would prefer to hold off on selling the house until the market has recovered.

“I know the market is down, but not down that low,” she told the newspaper. “It’s not a good time to sell property, not a good time at all. He just wants cash.”

Part of Ferenc’s problems stem from her inability to appear at court dates or retain legal counsel until recently. Her attorney, David Osborne, filed an emergency motion to stop the woman from losing her home last week.

The court is expected to hold a hearing on the motion, but a hearing date has not been set at this time.
Under Florida law, marital property, such as a house, must be equitably distributed by a judge. The order issued by the court in the present case gives John Ferenc “exclusive” use of the home.

The deed to the house is in John Ferenc’s name, and does not mention Loretta Ferenc by name anywhere in the document.

Under the court order, John Ferenc is responsible for making repairs to the house before it is sold, and Loretta Ferenc will be expected to pay 50 percent of the repair costs. From there, the home will put up for sale through a real estate agent of John Ferenc’s choosing and the couple will split the proceeds.

David Osborne claimed the sale of the home would unjustly benefit John Ferenc against his client’s wishes. According to Osborne, John Ferenc will allegedly return to his New York home with the proceeds while Loretta Ferenc is left homeless.

“The respondent is simply trying to protect her home or at least have some input in how the residence is sold,” Osborne told reporters.

Loretta Ferenc said she will move in with a friend if she is forced out of the house later this week.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 at 10:48 am and is filed under General Divorce News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.