A disputed deed filing tied up a vacant $1.7 million Houston home and derailed a foreclosure sale, according to a new investigation.
The Memorial-area home on Myrtlea Drive was under contract last fall when real estate broker Erin Meadows said the deal suddenly fell apart. According to Click2Houston, paperwork had been filed transferring the home to Matthew Jackson and his company, Save A Life Homes LLC.
Meadows said the bank still owned the property, but the filing pushed the home into a legal fight and her buyer moved on. Harris County Appraisal District records value the property at more than $1.7 million, the station reported.
The house was vacant, bank-owned, and already moving through a foreclosure sale when the paperwork appeared. Meadows said the lockbox she had been using to access the property was cut off, and law enforcement was later asked to keep an eye on the home during patrols.
The Broker Said the Sale Fell Apart
Meadows told Click2Houston that her client was under contract to buy the Myrtlea Drive property when she discovered the lockbox was no longer there. She said the home was vacant and bank-owned, so law enforcement was alerted.
The Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office confirmed that deputy constables were called to the home in early November for a suspicious-person report. Click2Houston reported that a spokesperson said a report was taken, but the matter was treated as civil at the time.
The Same Name Appears in Other Property Disputes
Click2Houston reported that Jackson and Save A Life Homes LLC are listed on paperwork claiming rights to other Houston-area homes, including properties connected to homicide investigations. The station also reported that Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin’s office is investigating the ownership disputes involving Jackson and the company.
ABC13 reported that Jackson has claimed ownership interests in multiple homes. A real estate attorney who reviewed filings for the station said the company did not appear to have a legitimate interest in the Gilley home.
County Records Can Show the First Problem
The Harris County Clerk’s Real Property Department records documents related to real estate in the county. The clerk’s office says it has a ministerial duty to accept a document for recording if a statute authorizes, requires, and permits it to be filed.
That makes the record itself important during a sale, probate case, foreclosure, or vacancy. A new filing can create enough uncertainty to slow a transaction while the owner, bank, title company, or court sorts out whether the paperwork is valid.
Suspicious Deed Paperwork Should Move Quickly
The Harris County Attorney’s Office says consumer fraud can include mortgage and title fraud. Its Stay Scam Free guidance tells people who believe they are victims of a crime to contact local law enforcement and lists resources for stolen deeds, fraudulent contractors, identity theft, and online complaints.
For property owners, heirs, banks, and agents, the practical step is to check records before a vacant home sits too long, before a closing, and after any suspicious notice, lock change, mail change, or unexpected visitor. If unfamiliar deed paperwork appears, save the documents, contact the title company or lender, and get help from law enforcement or a real estate attorney before the dispute grows.