Barry & Associates Files Lawsuit against Majority of California's Natural Hazard Disclosure Providers; Comprehensive Lawsuit Targets More Than 16 California Companies.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry & Associates, one of California's leading real estate consumer advocacy firms, announced today the filing of a lawsuit alleging widespread fraudulent acts by most of the natural hazard disclosure providers in California. They include LGS Reports, JCP Geologists, NHD, DisclosureSource, Property Data Services, and more than a dozen others.

"This suit stems from improperly researched reports provided in thousands of residential real estate transactions. Buyers purchased homes without being advised of documented and mapped perils affecting their investment and/or lives," said David Barry.

The lawsuit (RG 04183175) states that the defendants failed to properly research locally mapped Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, among other hazards, and knowingly sold these reports to thousands of buyers and sellers -- depriving them of full knowledge of material facts affecting their property.

"This suit has wide-ranging implications throughout the State," said David Barry.

Lead plaintiff Arleen Freeman, a licensed real estate professional in California, is being represented by David Barry of Barry & Associates of San Francisco, California.

Barry & Associates is also investigating real estate brokerages that resell private labeled disclosure reports, prepared by the defendants, as potential additional defendants. Real estate agents who skirt their fiduciary duties to their clients and collude with their brokerages to defraud their clients are also being investigated.

Consumers who feel they were provided with an incomplete disclosure report from any of the named defendant companies should visit www.nhdLawsuit.com.

Among the companies named in the lawsuit are: LGS Reports, Inc.; JCP Geologists, Inc.; Natural Hazards Disclosure, LLC; Property Data Services, Inc.; Be Disclosure!; California Property Disclosure, LLC; Disclosure Save; Geo Logix; Geo Tech; Haz Chek by ABW Corp.; Hirst Consulting Services; Professional Hazard Disclosure; Property Specs, Inc.; TerraCheck; Buyers Real Estate Services, LLC; Nationwide (RealtyChek); SAFE Real Estate.

About Barry & Associates

Since 1979, the San Francisco law firm of Barry & Associates has been at the leading edge of consumer advocacy law with more than half of the practice focused on antitrust work involving cases brought against realtor associations for trade restraints. This time David Barry is taking aim in a strident effort to reform California's real estate industry to provide for better disclosure and greater surety for the general public.

David Barry

Barry & Associates

Pier 9, Suite 112

San Francisco, CA 94111

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