M/I Homes

I waited a week and a half to get my deposit refunded. It states in the agreement that if we do not enter into a contract the money is returned to me. When I still had not received it after ten days (3 days to take it remember), I emailed the representative to ask how long it will take. No response. I called the number and someone said they would have the representative contact me within an hour. No response. I call again and finally get a call back and am told that it takes them 30 days to write a check for the refund. So bottom line, you can't build what you want even though you will be the one paying for it and living in it. They don't stand by their own agreements (not allowing me 40 days) and they take your money quickly but are very slow to return it. Obviously this organization is only about the bottom line and not making sure homeowners are happy with what they build.

Our fence is also off the property line by 7 inches - the poles are supposed to be in the middle of the property line. The Director of Construction (I believe that is his title) said he would replace the fence and flip the panels. I looked like an idiot TWICE because the M/I guy didn’t relay the information to the fence company. It took MONTHS to get this resolved and still, technically, our fence is not on the fence line due to the fence company refusing to move the poles. I have pictures and videos of the drainage issues as well as the fence. The fence company flipped the panels but did a chop job and I had to submit another warranty request and fight to have the panels replaced (which is how I looked like an idiot in front of the fence guys twice).

A customer should NEVER feel like an idiot, especially in front of representatives of M/I and companies. We gave an honest review and were called by a representative who was angry that I questioned his integrity. Of course I did! I looked like an idiot TWICE due to him. He also said the areas of drainage issues would all be regraded but come to find out, only the back corner will be regraded. We shall see if that even happens. Our community is known for drainage issues and other builders install French drains with no fight. How do I know? Neighbors talk! Plenty of M/I homeowners are disappointed in M/I - and a house is a MAJOR purchase.

I am so extremely disappointed. There is a HUGE lack of communication from top leaders to those in their care which causes issues - the messenger and the customer wind up looking like idiots. We were warned by a friend from Ohio not to use M/I and I should have listened. I do not recommend them. The sad part is that we love our floor plan. The sales person will say ANYTHING to get you under contract and then you’re on your own. We bought a spec home but we have loved our builder and the warranty girl. It’s not their fault that their leadership doesn’t communicate. However, due to all of the issues we have had after closing, I do not recommend them. It has been a massive headache and I fought for several months and now I’m tired! I guess that’s their tactic - wear you down and you’ll shut up! Don’t buy or build with M/I unless you have plenty of time on your hands and the patience of a saint to be on their backs 24/7 to get things fixed properly.

Second, and this probably goes without saying, hire an agent and lawyer before even stepping foot in one of their communities. This developer knows how to play you. They will lie through omission and deceive you to try and make a sale. I know, real shocker right? The developer is not transparent and they do not have your best intentions in mind throughout the process.

I am just one of 80 plus villa owners in our community, and most of us have issues like this. Some of my neighbors have water in their basement that M/I has not been able to figure out. Our plans called for a 2 car garage and a driveway that holds 2 cars. We have 2 mid size cars, and I have yet to fit both cars in the garage. The ONLY way to fit two cars in the garage is to store nothing on the sides of the garage, so you can get out of the car. To park tow cars in the driveway, I have to park on both edges of the driveway. When I step out of the car, I'm stepping in the yard. My home is only 2 years old. I will be replacing the HVAC system with one that will heat and cool my home. M/I could have worked with me, but they fought me all along. I feel that I was lucky to get any service done. They have good floor plans, and that is what drew us to them. But at over a half a million dollars for a townhouse, I would expect better workmanship, materials, and customer service.

Don't get suckered into what looks to be a great looking package, You could end up a sucker like many in our Walden Woods of Laurel neighborhood have. I almost forgot to mention the By-Laws and Covenants. Ask for them and read them over well. Ours do NOT fit our community. They were copied from another community, but we are stuck with them for now. They are the rules, and you are required to live by them. Because you may not know your new neighbors yet, you could get someone on the board that would love to exploit those rules.

It seems to me MI homes have baked into their agreement and documentation to game unsuspecting buyers in case something happens to protect themselves. My issues with MI home are twofold. We escaped the third one but the incident gave us a clue of the nature of company and its subsidiary. Keep in mind that we closed May 13th 2020. Please use that as reference point how MI homes responds to issues discussed below.

1. During upgrade selection of our new homes around later 2019 and early 2020, we had requested to opt for double wall oven (a gourmet kitchen option) on only one condition. The condition is that the double oven is going to be “gas powered” instead of “electric”. I made a note, sent out an email for clarifications and every time, the answer was. It’s going to be “gas”. The rationale behind our choice of gas over electric is because of the overall cost of operating a gas vs electric over a long period of time. We would save 65-75% on utility bill with a gas vs electric in a year.

2. Secondly, we were told that our sod was going to be laid before closing if weather is good. Fortunately, weather was good. We had the largest lot in the subdivision with about 0.40 acres. We never knew we were getting setup/prep-up for eventual cost cutting cost on MI homes part once we closed on the property. With good weather, the sod was not laid before closing. It was laid 2-3 weeks after closing (after liability has been transferred).

Watch out for the pattern of resolving issue that got me to write this review.

At orientation preceding closing, I called this issue out. I was told to send out an email and this issue will be resolved ASAP. There was no response, until after sending about third email reminder to at least have somebody respond (Note, we are few days:-about a day), someone called. I was told they thought I just wanted clarification. On closing day, we were almost not going to close on the closing when I notify my attorney about pending issue. The attorney suggested we will end up not having a place to stay since we already sign off with our former house. We got our first shocker when MI Homes representative said that since we have closed, there is nothing they can do. He however promised to get back to us ASAP on what options are available if he will be able to come up with any remediation in one way or another.

We never heard anything until after 3 to 4 weeks after sending out reminders. He even said upper management said there was nothing they could do (Please flip this if it’s something that was the fault of customer). Meanwhile, I had sent out an email way ahead of closing date under the suggestion of the MI representative during house orientation with us. This issue started before May 13th, 2020 and it’s still ongoing (08/15/2020). I can forward this email to those who maybe want to verify this claim

Because MI home deferred to lay the sod before closing, we were whacked with a lot of money keeping the sod wet. The city had to call us if there was any leak with the volume of water being used. My neighbors out of concern came along and said something like, “I hope MI Home did not put the burden of initial cost and maintenance on your Sod seeing me heavily working the lawn”. To add to this problem, a fraction of the lawn was “very very very” good because of the quality of the sod used for that section. Majority were struggling while some parts were dead on arrival! The MI home representative came and saw things after request and wondered why the sharp difference?

Again please check out the pattern of delay I called out now in MI homes response and delay tactics. We met MI representative July 7th, on July 17th after many many follow up text, I was told somebody was going to come again but nobody showed up until July 27th. The plan was to mow, aerate and feed application after which sprinkler. They were supposed to come back 10 days later. We did not see anybody again till today (08/15/2020) after July 27 2020; sprinkler was not setup as promised, no follow up after 10 days. I can anticipate another pattern; when falls comes around, I may hear another twist to the story that we do not lay sods during cold session. How are they going to make sure that the issue brought was resolved and the yards issue is properly maintained and resolved?

Now back to issue 1, one of the remediation plans was to get some funds in some form to help remove the burden of cost of running double electric cost over time into maintaining our yards (which was a separate issue). Even at that, the representative did not put anything plan/cost remediation on paper or email. He went on vacation, planned to be back and get back to us. Till date, I have not even heard any call or email. This representative kept assuring me that my assessment of how they respond to issue and my conclusion about their delayed tactics is not true and does not represent MI homes as a company. However, the facts and patterns tell another story. I am completely tired of chasing an organization down with calls and email when all that I am getting is one excuse after another. I do not know what else to do at this time and it will be a miracle to get things done before this month ends.

Lastly, MI homes have some very good representatives but it’s like the management is bottled up with cutting corners and making sure issues are not getting resolved. I do not know if it’s the representative that is presenting real customers issues as non-issues or the management that is responding to issues as non-essential service. Whatever, the case, there is communication gap between who is reporting issues and how it’s been handled based on directives from the management. MI Homes need to remove this stigma of dodging legitimate issues and earn the respect of customers. Adverts on YouTube and journals portray something good but the realities tell another story entirely. Once they get you sucked in, close your home, you are going to see another side of MI Homes not known to the public.

I will give one star because I got my basement leak fix and cabinet that broke apart after about 3 months that we moved into our home was resolved. Here is my story and hope this help someone and it brought some resolve in the heart of MI Homes to be completely take on accountability and customer service satisfaction as the very core of who they are!!!! Thank you.

We liked the home but again not the price. He continued to reach out and finally we agreed on a price (or so we thought). He promised additional discounts after said price due to employment industry etc. He lied (imagine that) and it was all down hill from there. The home was incomplete when we closed on the home. They lied saying that while we were closing certain items were still being installed that weren't, the fence was horribly built with what looked like scraps from another fence. It was uneven and it looked weathered and ready to break down. The door to the office was not completed and we were told that due to the timeframe (end of the year December winter months) getting the appropriate door frame was difficult but it would be done.

We were constantly pushed and contacted to set a closing date prior to the end of the year yet our home was nowhere near completion to meet the specified requests. We had already given a move out date on our previous home and were pressed for time to get the home built and completed. Steven lied and made empty promises every step of the way. When we would address the issue he was non transparent and would disregard our concerns and threaten to increase the price if we did not close before the end of the month/year. Reluctantly and with more empty promises we closed on December 27th 2019 and to this day we still don't have proper working office doors and they refuse to install the correct frame. They want to adjust the current frame which is cracked and broken.

I didn't buy a new home to have it built with used materials. This homebuying experience has been the worst and our home is not what was promised. The company has gone through 3 different contractors or building managers and have delayed repairs and completing the home up to par. They continue to disregard requests and are now trying to push back request to put us outside our one year warranty. The home is poorly built to say the least and amenities that were promised were not put in. We were supposed to have a community pool, a playground and center and instead they build more houses in the specified location.

They lack customer service skills and at times are combative telling us we aren't getting what we paid for. We are going to have to settle for what they decide to give us. I hate my home to say the least. It looks cheap and the poor quality workmanship and materials is evident. It isn't even worth 1/3 of the purchase price. This company is dishonest and lacks integrity. We have considered legal action along with others in the community who are facing the same issues. We all have a long list of features that were never installed in our homes that were supposedly standard.

They love you till you move in, then they try to ignore you. BTW...It took three months to get the repair done. Our front bedroom (office) had the ceiling ripped out with insulation dug from the front bedroom all the way down our driveway for a week and only got addressed when we went to the VP in this area, who also did not want to be bothered with us. We are beyond upset and are prepared to call an attorney as soon as rainy season starts and the roof starts leaking again.

Finally, they agreed to let me use my deposit to purchase another home before the end of the year. I then recently decided to look into the possibility of purchasing a much cheaper home so I would not lose my deposit that I had been saving for so long. I was told that I still have to give them another deposit to create the contract and that the money will be used towards the purchase of the home in addition to my deposit. I am sure you can understand how upset I was to hear that they want even more money when they should have returned that deposit in the first place. I am now working with a real state attorney to recover my money given that I was not able to proceed with the purchase due to Covid -19. I DO NOT recommend doing any business with M/I homes. They are extremely inconsiderate and have no empathy for how this uncertain times are affecting people's lives.