discipline management even in these disruptive times. another in-depth interview friday at 9:30 p.m. eastern. i hope to see you then. than >> i'm bob massi. for 32 years, i've been practicing law and living in las vegas. i help people with all sorts of real-estate problems, from trying to save their homes to closing major deals. eight years ago, 6,000 people a month moved here, looking for employment and affordable homes. little did anyone know that we would become ground zero for the american real-estate crisis. now, it's a different story. the american dream is back. we're gonna meet real people who faced the same problems as millions across america, and we'll dive deep into a city on the rebound because las vegas was a microcosm of america, and now vegas is back. [ woman vocalizing ]

if you buy a home today in america, there's a one-in-five chance that you will end up living under rules imposed by what we call a board of directors, usually elected by you, the local resident. this board has very broad powers, and based on certain guidelines, well, they dictate just about everything in the community -- from the color scheme, how many cars can be in the driveway, how high your grass can be. and a lot of states? guess what, guys? they have the power to take your home if you don't make your monthly dues payments and assessments. very, very important to understand this. in some cases, people really enjoy homeowners associations. why? because they protect them. in other cases, i must tell you, they are a nightmare. >> they can be totalitarian regimes, but most totalitarian regimes, while they have their downsides, they also can be clean and orderly. >> this is karen and james. they bought a home in an hoa-managed neighborhood and one day found themselves in the middle of a major battle. >> we came back from vacation,

and we found this rumble strip had been installed in front of our home. and first night back, made a tremendous amount of noise, and we realized, "this is not gonna work for us." >> their once-quiet house was now filled with this noise... [ rumbling ] ...every time a car drove by. >> you're just constantly interrupted. as soon as somebody goes over these rumble strips, you wake up. and then it takes you an hour or two to get back to sleep. it's just not fair to the homeowners. and what's so infuriating is that these hoa board members, they don't have these in front of their homes. >> we just couldn't take the noise anymore. we had the president come over to our house, president of the hoa, and we asked him, "look. we cannot sleep in our home because these rumble strips." >> he actually started yelling at me in my home, telling me, "who am i to demand them to remove the rumble strips?" and i said -- i had to remind him -- "we're the homeowners. that's who we are. and you're supposed to be our advocate. you're the homeowners association." >> they set up cameras looking out of their bedroom window to document the constant noise... and the fact that the strips do

not seem to slow the traffic down at all. they soon learn that they were pretty much powerless to take on the hoa. >> once you're outside of that gate, that is technically city of las vegas oversight. but once you are in these gates, the hoa owns these roads. they have oversight. they can determine the speed limits. they can determine what they're gonna put here. but it's just so difficult in that they don't have any skills or experience or education in transportation, road construction, engineering, and then this is what can happen. >> and they have the legal right to do it. and everything that they can do is in the cc&rs, which you are given. so, yes, it is legal, but it's not right. >> cc&rs are the covenants, conditions, restrictions, reservations -- the laws that you must sign if you want to buy a home in an hoa community. and they are legally enforceable with monetary fines and even talk about the right of hoas to foreclose on your property. in a different hoa, when this resident used foul language, well, he was fined $100, with

another $100 being assessed every week. there is no first amendment freedom of speech in homeowners associations. >> i find it amazing that three people on a board of directors have more power and protection than city, county, and state agencies combined. and it's all legal. >> for karen and james, the hoa battle -- well, it took its toll. >> we finally came to the conclusion we're not gonna sink our savings. we're not gonna lose any more sleep over this. we're gonna try to sell, and we're gonna try to get out. and that's exactly what we did. >> so, they packed up, and they moved. >> i'm not willing to spend our money and any more time living in a community where we cannot sleep. >> i just think that homeowners should have the right to challenge their hoa before and after decisions. >> and it's not just the rules that get people into trouble. hoas are notoriously aggressive for going after people who fall behind on their dues. in fact, nevada is one of about 20 states that have laws that allow hoa liens to get priority over first mortgages. >> it could be a few thousand dollars, and if the hoa isn't

getting paid, it can go ahead and foreclose and wipe out the first deed of trust that the bank may have. >> that means they can foreclose on your million-dollar home to collect just a few thousand dollars of unpaid dues. >> yesterday, i actually was talking to an individual in the real-estate industry who apparently bought lots and lots and lots of homes, like hundreds of homes, at homeowners' auctions, and they got them for extremely low prices. >> pennies on the dollar. >> unbelievable. >> yep. million-dollar homes bought for several thousand dollars. in 2007, this house was purchased with a mortgage of $800,000 when the homeowner fell behind on the mortgage and the hoa dues. it was the hoa. guess what they did? they quickly foreclosed and sold the house to an investor for a total of -- believe this? -- $6,000. bank of america held the mortgage, appealed to the supreme court. bye-bye. they lost. >> the nevada supreme court said, "no. super priority means super priority. homeowner doesn't pay their dues, hoa goes in and forecloses, and the house sells

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>> welcome back. i'm bob massi, the property man. well, las vegas has a legendary history, and every once in a while, a house goes on the market that lets us step back in time and see that history up close. here we are, las vegas country club, in the '70s, one of the most exclusive areas in las vegas. and i'm standing in front of "lefty" rosenthal's home. when you mention lefty's name, put it right next to tony spilotro, the infamous tony spilotro, the mobsters in the '70s. and if you saw the movie "casino," you know what i'm talking about.

>> i was so good that whenever i bet, i could change the odds for every bookmaker in the country. i'm serious. i had it down so cold that i was given paradise on earth. >> in the 1970s, frank rosenthal secretly ran various las vegas casinos for the chicago mob, including the stardust, the fremont hotel, and the hacienda. robert deniro's character was based on him, and sharon stone's based on his wife, geri. joe pesci's character was their partner, reputed mob boss anthony "tony the ant" spilotro. for much of the '70s, las vegas and its casinos was secretly run out of this very home. let's take a walk inside and meet the broker who's gonna sell this home. so, brian, we're at the infamous lefty rosenthal's home. it was built, what, in 1974? >> yes, roughly 1974. >> and he passed away, what, seven, eight years ago, i believe? >> 2008, i believe. these are the original doors to the house. they're bulletproof. as you know, he was being chased

by the mob and the fbi and everybody else. >> just about everybody. >> just about everyone, so the doors are bulletproof. the entry doors to the courtyard and these front doors, they've remained unchanged since the house was built. >> okay, let's go in. this is the window, by the way, that faces the las vegas country club, which is one of the oldest golf courses in las vegas. tell us about the window. >> right. the window is also bulletproof. the original window -- lefty was coming down the stairs one day. the mob tried to shoot him from across the golf course. and the original bullet mark is in the glass. it remains there today. >> it's amazing the way these guys lived, you know? >> yeah. >> going into what appears to be the living-room area. >> the smoke-mirrored ceilings and walls are original. the piece of art behind the television there on the wall, that's an original piece commissioned by steven chase out of palm springs for lefty rosenthal. the sunken bar is original. the closets in the house -- all the closets are original. an this one over here has a hidden gun compartment, where lefty kept his guns.

>> yeah, let's go take a look at that. there's like a little door that actually opens, and the gun or guns were put in that area. >> that's correct. >> the lifestyle that these guys had, and if these walls could talk, it would be amazing the business that went on in this particular place. >> absolutely. >> in fact, with so many investigations hounding lefty, this house became his criminal-defense headquarters, and his attorney, oscar goodman? guess what? he became mayor of las vegas, and now his wife, carolyn, is the current mayor. >> his lifestyle was different than any other person i had ever represented. he must have stayed up the better part of the night, holding court in the various restaurants, but he would stay in bed all day. and his wife would basically wait on him, and we would hold our meetings about his various cases, and i had, oh, i'd say maybe five or six cases going at any one time just involving him. and he would be there in his pajamas and then in his robe, and i would be taking my notes and going over things that

lawyers go over with clients. it was the most modern, scientific home in the history of the world. >> really? >> for the time, you couldn't get -- it was like a fortress, bulletproof windows, doors that locked automatically, alarms wherever you looked at, buzzers here. it was different than anything i've ever seen. >> brian, what's so interesting is, so much is authentic. so, it's not just that they're buying something from 1974. it's the history. like, for example, this you said is an original piece. >> that's right. that's right. this is an original that was put in when lefty lived here. there's original features throughout the house, and that's what makes it what it is. it's got that '70's vibe, that classic vegas feel to it. >> absolutely. let's go into the kitchen area. >> this is another original piece commissioned for lefty. it's been here since day one on the wall. the ceiling above has gold-leaf accent under the wood. that's all original. >> it's a part of history of las vegas that it'll never be like it was, and that's why whoever is interested in buying

this, they're buying a very big part of the history of las vegas. brian, let's take a look at the master bedroom here. >> okay. this is the master suite. all the closets and mirrors in the room are original. it has a great view looking out over the golf course. that's the 15th tee box out there. you might remember from the movie, there was a famous scene where the fbi -- they were trying to spy on lefty, and they ran out of fuel and landed on the golf course. they actually ended up in that pond out there. that's where the plane ended up. this bathroom over here is the original bathroom. everything you see in there, even the wallpaper, is original. >> it's interesting to see how bright the lights are. him being in the casino business -- >> and geri being a showgirl. >> and geri being a showgirl, this is like hollywood -- hollywood lights. >> that's right. >> how do you pitch it to a

prospective buyer with the history? 'cause some people don't like the idea it's a mob house. let's face it. >> sure. the history is the biggest part of this home, and it's a beautiful home. >> mm-hmm. >> but the history behind it is what makes it so unique. so, the story of lefty rosenthal and tony spilotro and everything that went on here, that's the angle that we use to market this home. >> up next, a look inside of one of the most beautiful properties you can imagine. >> this is a special home. the style would be classified as a desert contemporary. it gets you from the get-go. >> it does. when we come right back. [ woman vocalizing ]

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>> welcome back. i'm bob massi, the property man. it doesn't matter if you're buying a $100,000 or a $20 million one. there are certain key things that you must know before making such a massive commitment. in just a few minutes, i'm gonna review those things with you. but first, we had a chance to check out one of the hottest properties for sale now, and it is truly amazing. take a look. ivan, i mean, this is your specialty, these magnificent homes, and we're just walking like an entrance to, like, "ben-hur." >> you know, this is a special home. the style would be classified as a desert contemporary. it gets you from the get-go. >> it does. >> i mean, you walk in, and you're captured by the views. and one of the things that separates this home from so many other homes is that they surrounded themselves with all this land and all of this privacy. what they did with this home is that they created a home that

not only shows well for entertaining but that you can live in, that you can have a family live in. so, this home right here, it's amazing to think of having families and normal-to-day activities, but this is where that would happen. you've got your family room. you've got your kitchen with a double island, all the newest appliances. >> and the view, 'cause now, as we're walking, and, of course, we're facing east. so, we actually could see downtown las vegas with this magnificent pool and fireplaces. it's just remarkable, the detail of this home. >> and it's not just "and the view." the view is the home. >> it is, isn't it? >> in las vegas, the strip is our ocean, and this is what we have. we're on the golf course. we're elevated above it. you're on just under two acres. it sets itself apart from just about everybody else because of what it has to offer in terms of view and amenities. >> and behind i see we have fire in different parts of the home, and i know there's a waterfall here. and now we're looking back in,

and you see even more so the detail of this entire beautiful room. how many square feet is this home? >> well, 16,000, and 21,000 under roof. for this particular home, i like to talk about the "wow" factor. i mean, you walk in, and it just, as i mentioned, it just gets you. >> it does. let's go look at some other areas. >> you got it. >> we're walking into the master bedroom, and, again, the views are so consistent, facing downtown las vegas, the east side of the town. >> to have a master bedroom that looks out and is kind of contoured by the ceiling detail and the roof that juts out and captures the strip and the golf course. this is the spot. >> sitting on two acres, the property doesn't just come with amazing views but also unparalleled privacy and security. for a home this size, what is the price on it right now? >> the price on this home is $17.5 million. >> and i will tell you, after

walking through the home with you, i'm surprised. i thought the price point was gonna be $25 million or $30 million. however, as you said, this is an advantage of living in las vegas. you take this home and put it in the hamptons, put it on the beach in los angeles, santa monica, whole different market. >> yeah, this home in a different market, outside of las vegas, you'd be at least double the price. this is the attraction. so many people, they have a misconception of what las vegas actually has to offer. we have things like -- we have a hair salon, a beauty salon. we have a spa that has a hot-and-cold plunging pool, and it has a steam room and an outdoor basketball court. we have a media room that's second to none. when the current owner purchased the home, he put in millions of dollars in upgrades. he added almost a half an acre and beyond to the size of the lot, to the landscaping, to the livability and the entertaining portion of it. he actually converted an extra 1,500 square feet. so, he added on 1,500 square feet to the house.

so, the home that you see today is not the home that it was even a few years back. >> how do you go about in your specialty to find a buyer for this home? >> finding a buyer for a home like this is not something that you do every day. this is a part of the market which is unique, and the buyer needs to be unique. what we do is we spend a lot of our time and a lot of our money in our marketing. but the biggest thing that we do is we create a campaign. we create a whole plan specific to the home, including a specific website. and a lot of our buyers in this price range are gonna come from out of state. >> is this the type of home you think a celebrity would buy, an athlete would buy, obviously somebody very successful that has the money to buy, 'cause you said it's $17.5 million. or is it one of those things you never know who's gonna walk through the door that's gonna say, "i want that home"? >> that's the answer, because it is a specialty home. people that can afford a home like this have multiple homes. and depending upon if this is their primary or secondary or beyond, it could be anybody.

>> i guess probably the most important question is, we know who needs the barbershop and who doesn't. >> [ laughs ] not me. >> exactly! very good. thanks, buddy. i appreciate it. >> thanks, bob. thanks so much. >> for most of us, a home like this is way out of our league. but there are still things you can learn from this property and how it's being sold. we'll tell you what they are when we come back, in the massi memo. [ woman vocalizing ] this is loma linda, a place with one of the highest life expectancies in the country. you see so many people walking around here in their hundreds. so how do you stay financially well for all those extra years? well, you have to start planning as early as possible. we all need to plan, for 18 years or more, of retirement. i don't have a whole lot saved up, but i'm working on it now. i will do whatever i need to do. plan your financial life with prudential. bring your challenges.

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>> welcome back. i'm bob massi, the property man. and it's time now for the massi memo. we showed you former gangster lefty rosenthal's house. if you're buying an historic home or even just an old home, well, you need to look out for certain things. in some cases, you can get tax credits if you're restoring the property. and, of course, historic homes, well, by their very nature, they're old, and, therefore, they need repairs. so, do this for me. look for a qualified contractor and get multiple bids. make sure they've worked on aged or historic homes. get a detailed home inspection with a licensed and bonded inspector. these historic and old homes many times, they have safety issues such as lead paint, termite issues, asbestos, structural issues from mere wear and tear. ask for utility bills, guys, to get a history of the cost. it could be expensive. and usually these old homes, well, they're not insulated at

all. also, i showed you that stunning $17 million mansion. go figure. buying and selling multimillion-dollar homes requires specific knowledge of the market. most sellers expect their broker to bring a qualified prospective buyer to the table before they just open their home to strangers. specialized qualified brokers like ivan, they understand the marketplace, and that's so important. prospective buyers, be prepared to answer questions about your financial situation related to the nature of your business -- who you are, what you do. many times, buyers can ask for luxury homes to include the furnishings, specialty items that make the home unique. and also, always remember, guys, you can negotiate closing costs. for you the seller -- well, you must make sure that your asking price is real. qualified buyers who have competent brokers know the marketplace. they've done their homework. that's it for today. be sure to send me your questions or property stories at propertyman@foxnews.com.

and check out our website at foxnews.com/propertyman. i'm bob massi. i'll see you next week. [ woman vocalizing ] >> i'm bob massi. for 34 years, i've been practicing law and living in las vegas, the center of the recent real-estate crisis. lives were destroyed from coast to coast as the economy tanked. now, well, it's a different story. the american dream is back. and nowhere is that more clear than the sunshine state of florida. so we headed from the strip to the beach to show you how to live the american dream. i'm gonna meet real people who are facing serious problems, take you behind the gates of properties you have to see to believe and give you the tips that everyone needs to navigate the new landscape because information is power. and the property man has got you covered. [ woman vocalizing ]

thanks for joining us. i'm bob massi. every minute of every day, somebody is getting scammed out of their money. nobody knows that more than pam bondi, attorney general of florida. it's her job to protect consumers against fraud. and there is plenty to keep her busy. when the housing bubble burst, foreclosures exploded. but as millions lost their homes, they were often taken advantage of, sometimes even by the big banks themselves. in 2012, 49 states announced a historic settlement with the five largest mortgage servicers. >> in many cases, they didn't even verify that these foreclosures were actually legitimate. some of the people they hired to process foreclosures used fake signatures on fake documents. >> the five largest lenders, of course, were involved. and florida received nearly $10 billion in relief. >> but even with some homeowners getting relief, scam artists are still out there.

>> these unscrupulous brokers were promising people that they could either get them cash payment for their foreclosure or get them loan modifications. it's very tough to decipher the good, legitimate companies who are trying to help people and the unscrupulous ones. >> what should the legitimate rescue, if you will, really look like for a consumer? >> a legitimate rescue broker will never ask for a fee up front, unless it's a law firm. and as you know, of course, an attorney can take a retainer. but they must put it in an escrow account. >> right. >> always ask for a copy of the loan modification agreement, the acknowledgment letter and either the approval or denial letter. when they tell you that they can guarantee you a loan modification. you've seen that, haven't you?

>> run away. run away. >> a loan mod, or that they will automatically stop the foreclosure process. and, you know, these cases are so disgusting to me because these are people who are already in distress. and they are preying on the vulnerable. >> don't respond to unsolicited calls, e-mails or letters from companies you don't know anything about. and don't be fooled by the official-sounding names and addresses that make you think that you're being contacted by a government agency. this letter from nations housing modification center has an official-looking seal and a capitol hill address. so where is 611 pennsylvania avenue? this ups store. and here is the nhmc offices, mailbox number 393. it's no longer their office. the founders went to prison for fraud, but not before 300 desperate homeowners fell for these letters and sent in between $2,000 and $3,000 each in up-front money. >> they will tell you, "don't contact your lender." that should be red flag number

one, get outta there. contact your attorney general's office or, if it's an attorney involved, contact the -- the bar association to make sure they're in good standing. >> and it's not just mortgage scams that are pulling people in. here in florida, one of the biggest types of fraud involves vacation rental properties. >> these con artists are getting more and more sophisticated, as we both know. >> these are greedy people. you know, they sell the sizzle, as they say. >> they sure do. >> they sell the sizzle. >> that's right. >> what should a consumer ask to say, "hang up the phone. get away from this." >> well, you know, bob, how they scam consumers is they go on legitimate sites and hijack the photographs and post them as being rentals. so what you do, you contact the owner and say, "i wanna see additional pictures." and the owner or the legitimate company who claims to be renting the property will have additional pictures that they can immediately send you. >> i see. >> someone who's hijacked photographs online

from legitimate companies won't be able to produce those. >> some of these people are victims of scams. they end up showing up actually at the location... >> oh, it's horrible. >> they put money down. and they say, "what are you talking about? doesn't even exist." >> that's why you should use a payment portal, if possible, because that money is deposited in an escrow account. >> okay. >> never pay by cashier's check. never wire money. always use a credit card, or many legitimate companies will let you use paypal, which is very safe. >> the best piece of advice, use an established realtor or, at the very least, a company that you can independently verify. never communicate only by e-mail. request a phone number to someone directly and ask a lot of questions. and up next, we've introduced you to some people battling with their homeowners association. now, the other side. one hoa struggled to deal with a problem property in their community. [ woman vocalizing ]

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♪ >> hi, i'm bob massi, the property man. we've talked in the past about homeowners associations and what their legal rights are when homeowners don't pay their dues. well, we're gonna talk about the other side of it. what is the impact and the decision that has to be made by an association if, in fact, they decide to foreclose on that property and have to maintain their home? we're in a beautiful development in florida. and in a minute, i'm gonna sit down and talk with marshall, who's trying to deal with a major hoa issue, that being that there's a house that was left vacant. and now they have to decide what are they gonna do for purposes of securing that house? marshall, how are you, sir? >> welcome. >> good you see you. >> nice seeing you. >> you know, before we sit down, i really wanna go look at this house that we're gonna be talking about in a few minutes so we have a good understanding of what's going on. >> terrific. let's go take a ride. >> thank you, sir. homeowners associations have legal rights and powers over properties. they can initiate foreclosures for monthly fees, their dues and their special assessments. >> i'm the neighborhood volunteer chair for our neighborhood.

>> and that's selected by who? is that just amongst homeowners themselves? >> right, the homeowners in the neighborhood. >> okay. >> basically have a group of volunteers that look out for everything. >> is this the home right here? >> yes, sir, right here. >> well, let's go see the house, and let's talk about what concerns you may have. >> terrific. >> so this is the house of concern. and the homeowners association has to make a decision. do they actually want to end up potentially owning this property? because if it goes to auction, and nobody bids on it, then you guys could end up owning it. >> that's correct. >> this home has been vacant since 2010. and as always happens, the home's exterior, well, it's getting pretty ragged. it's actually an eyesore for the neighborhood. >> most of the screens ended up blowing out. and because this represented a safety risk, the health department from the county came in and secured the pool area itself. so there was a lot of things growin' in there, an enormous amount of algae. >> now the hoa's put in a position because the lender's not doin' what they should do, and that is foreclose on the property. the homeowners association can decide to foreclose on the property themselves. and if nobody bids on that judgment, well,

they take title to that property subject to the bank lien. >> remediation on just the exterior is probably gonna end up being around $13,000. if we ended up having a move to go in and -- and rent the facility, we would have to remediate the interior portion of this home. since nobody's been in this home for in excess of 5 years, there's no tellin' what we're gonna end up finding. so the particular risk to the neighborhood is enormous. >> let's go sit down and talk about what you guys have been through and what options that there may be. the area is beautiful. but like any other, it was hit hard by the recession. >> and homeowners ended up leaving in, uh, january of 2010. it was, basically, almost impossible to locate them. >> do you have any idea why they haven't foreclosed on this property? >> i have no idea. >> it's probably because they don't want to pay the hoa dues. and they don't want to pay the insurance and they don't want to pay the taxes. >> that's probably correct. >> it's what we've called in the past a zombie foreclosure. >> neighbors ended up complaining to me all the time that the pool looked bad. the screens looked bad.

the roof had mold on it. >> although law's different in every state, hoas can usually only recover a portion of what is owed to them. in this case, they actually got a judgment in the amount of $34,000. so, essentially, the homeowners association has a business decision to make here. >> correct. if we remediate the home, uh, we're gonna end up spending probably the bulk of the homeowner's equity in the entire neighborhood. >> they could decide to lease the property at the market value to try to recover the cost. >> we've looked at that. but the expenses to do that, uh, still far -- far outweigh, you know, what we think the anticipated benefit would be. >> they gotta pay taxes. they gotta pay insurance. and guess what, guys, the bank, at any time -- they could wake up from their zombie and decide to foreclose on the property. >> we'd fix up the house, make it beautiful, uh, get a tenant in there. and that would not, basically, stop the bank to come in and go, "hey, we want our house now." >> you could exercise your lien rights as an hoa to foreclose on a property. >> right. >> so let's say that, uh,

that a homeowner owes $10,000. i could come in as an investor and look at this property and say, "wait a second, i could buy this home at a foreclosure sale by the hoa for 10,000 and get title of that property." but myself as the investor has to look at it and say, "well, wait a second -- they have a mortgage on that property. so there's some legal issues there." >> right. >> if nobody bids on the judgment they have, they could end up owning that property again. what does that mean? that means, once again, the homeowners association is on the hook for all the expenses of the house. you wanna do something that's going to wake up the zombie. and that may be even to the point where, maybe, your lawyers will say, "you know what? we're just gonna file a lawsuit and say, 'judge, you know what? could you ask these people to, basically, foreclose on this property? because it is impeding our ability to take care of our neighborhood.'" get has proactive as possible to get the bank off their butt to say, "let's exercise our rights." when we come back, i'm gonna tell you about this house and

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♪ >> hi, i'm bob massi, the property man. i'm standing in front of a special home that was built for a special american. let me tell you about jesse murphree, a great american hero. >> jesse is one of the most kindhearted kids i've ever met and always has been. >> deployed in 2007, jesse and his unit found himself in the korengal valley in afghanistan, one of the most dangerous places to be. >> it was most certainly a very active and dangerous valley. >> sebastian junger documented the harrowing ordeal that jesse's platoon went through in the award-winning documentaries "restrepo" and "korengal." >> it truly is, i guess you'd

say, hell, to be quite honest. >> jesse's mission was to be the gunner on the third gun truck that would be over-watching a number of, uh, paratroopers that were gonna be clearing a village. >> my buddy started to step out of the truck and... >> a command-detonated ied blew up jesse's vehicle. >> before we knew it, i mean, we were mid-sentence. i was wakin' up on the bottom of a mountain. i would have to yell up for help in between the -- the gun bursts because i was completely immobile. um, my legs were shredded. >> his paratrooper, uh -- uh, platoon mates fought to him, secured him, performed life-saving measures. >> as they carried me to the bird, the last thing i saw was kind of like the mountains. and i went -- i went dark. >> back home, jesse's mother got the horrifying phone call. >> they shared with me that he had been hurt and was, um... they were patching me through to the surgeon. and, uh, he explained jesse's injuries and that he was gonna try

and save his life for me. >> i woke up a week and a half later at walter reed. and then that's when, uh, you start tryin' to piece together what just happened and stuff. and that was the first time i found out that my legs were gone. immediately, you could see the fear in his eyes and -- and the recognition of what was truly happening. >> jesse's recovery went on and on. he had 65 surgeries. as things would happen during his recovery, jesse connected with a childhood friend, ashley. >> she was there for me through everything. >> they would end up getting married in 2013. but the surgeries kept coming. life, well, it wasn't easy. then jesse, through his friends, heard about an organization called building homes for heroes. this great organization is building homes for disabled veterans all over the country, providing them an opportunity to be able to own a home free of mortgage

so that they know that they're safe, and their families are protected. it was started by a long island businessman, andy pujol. >> i said to some friends, "why don't we build one home for a severely injured warrior? and, if nothing else, we'll leave a legacy for our children." >> but andy didn't stop at one home. and so far, they have gifted more than 100 homes to veterans. >> we're on target for 50 homes in 2016. and, uh, we have high hopes of doing the same in 2017. >> as jesse recovered, building homes for heroes board members visited him in the hospital and invited him to come to new york for a fundraising dinner. the event was featured by fox's own sean hannity. >> take a look at this. >> we have a special surprise tonight. there's a young man here in the audience who just finished his 58th, 59th, and 60th surgery and left the va hospital because he wanted to be here tonight. jesse and ashley,

you know that home you're hoping for in tampa? from all of us to you, it's yours. [ cheers and applause ] >> it was very emotional. it was a huge weight that's being, like, lifted off your shoulders. >> jesse and ashley, wanted to be in tampa, florida. well, building homes for heroes and william ryan homes built them a beautiful home from the ground up. this home, just like all the homes built by building homes for heroes, is specifically designed to meet the injured soldier's needs. >> it's so important to have an open floor plan. it'll give jesse the freedom to maneuver all throughout the home. we want him to feel like he's in a normal home built for anyone. and, uh, you really can't see all these hidden features that we've done. >> but they're actually here. but they're subtle. >> they are all here. they're very subtle. we design all of our homes with the hallways being 48 inches wide. it gives him the freedom to roll through with a wheelchair. the greatest features that

we gave him was the ability to, uh, bathe and shower freely. this shower allows him to roll in and actually bathe. he has a seat here. he can sit comfortably. >> and i noticed, also, a beautiful backyard that has a swimming pool. >> we have some therapeutic jets that help him in his rehabilitation. we also have two water features in the pool which helps with the ringing in his ears. it's not only therapeutic, but it's also, you know, mentally therapeutic, as well. >> finally, that special day came when building homes for heroes gave jesse and ashley the key to this beautiful home. [ sirens wailing ] [ applause ] >> welcome to building homes for heroes' homecoming celebration for army corporal jesse murphree and his wife, ashley, and son, brody. [ cheers and applause ] >> we are really excited to start this new chapter of our life out here. so to all of our neighbors, everybody out here, thank you for having us.

thank you for being here. [ people cheering ] [ applause ] >> having a home is the place where you build stability. and jesse hasn't had that yet. what they're giving to -- to these soldiers and these families, to me, is a foundation to start a whole new life. >> the building homes for heroes family -- they have been so supportive of us, and they've really gotten us through this year. it is the best thing that's happened to us ever. how do you say thank you for something so big? >> even as we sit in here, i keep thinkin' that, like, it's just -- it's not clickin' yet that this is our house. >> we feel so undeserving. but we feel so blessed. >> up next, a massi memo with information you can't afford to miss. stick around.

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♪ >> welcome back. i'm bob massi, the property man. and now it's time for the massi memo. at the start of the show, i sat down with florida attorney general pam bondi to talk about scams. scammers are always out there trying to separate you from your money. so what do you do? well, it all boils down to this. the best way to protect yourself is to step back and think

before you pay anyone a dime or sign anything. if anything sounds too good, please, run away. most scams sell the sizzle to pull you in and beware of the sizzle, the 4-day, 3-night dream vacation, expensive gifts. those type of things are the sizzles. anyone who asks for an up-front fee or wire transfers of any type in reference to purchasing real property, rental property or stocks, forget it. never buy any real estate by phone. it is important that you hire a competent realtor and check all credentials. and if a company promises to save your home from foreclosure, don't believe a word. many charge high fees for work you can do on your own. and some actually try to trick you into signing over the deed to the house. never sign anything you don't understand. and don't allow anyone to pressure you. research any company you might work with first. and check with the better business bureau and your state's attorney general's office. earlier, we spoke with marshall, whose hoa

is trying to decide what to do about a vacant property in the community. we'll follow marshall's story and update you when there's a resolution. most people, though, are on the other side trying to decide if they should buy in an hoa neighborhood. here's what you need to do. request all relevant information to review and know the rules before you buy. get the financial information. make sure they're solvent with hoa. ask if there's been any assessments in the past or any scheduled in the future, guys. and make sure you get a copy of the covenants, conditions and restrictions. these are the rules that you will live by in your community. see if you can get a past history of the minutes of the hoa. find out if there has been any construction defect litigation in the area where you're buying. and by the way, ask what the insurance covers as it relates to common areas, that being the walls and where your property is located. that's it for today. be sure to send me your questions or property stories at propertyman@foxnews.com.

and check out our website at foxnews.com/propertyman. i'm bob massi. i'll see you next week. [ woman vocalizing ] >> you want thrills, you'll get them all at the roller derby. >> talk about hell on wheels! >> she's the paragon, the symbol for roller derby. >> i wear hot pants all the time. >> she was a star. i mean, there's no doubt about it. >> a star who leaves an attic full of roller derby history... >> let me see this. they're very, very, very small. >> ...to her lifelong fan. >> this is ann's last jersey. >> why did she leave you her inheritance? >> the answer -- it's a little tricky. >> whoopsy. [ laughs ] [ door creaks ] [ wind howls ] [ thunder rumbles ]