June 16, 2010

Christmas House's sad saga continues...


The sad saga of Racine's former Christmas House continues.

The house turned up among the Racine County Real Estate transfers, and is now owned by CU Mortgage Investors LLC, having gone through foreclosure earlier in the year.

The reported selling price: $720,000.

The lovely house at 116 10th St. was known as the Christmas House because it was elaborately decorated during the holiday season for many years, raising funds for cancer. The former Benstead Hall, it was owned by All Saints Healthcare Systems until it was sold in 1997 and converted into a Bed and Breakfast and formally renamed the Christmas House. In 2007 the name was changed to the East Park Inn.

Owner/innkeeper Laurie Novak-Simmons lost a default judgment in October 2008, owing $939,707 to Central States Mortgage Company. County Registrar of Deeds James Ladwig believes there is a connection between Central States Mortgage and CU Mortgage Investors, of Oak Creek. CU has not returned numerous calls from RacinePost seeking information.

The transfer was registered with the county on June 3, when it was filed, but was actually dated Feb. 8, according to Ladwig.

Our earlier story on the foreclosure is here.