Banknorth settles home, mortgage dispute in Blaine Case lingered in courts for a year

BLAINE – The case that pitted local homeowners against the bank that gave them a mortgage and the woman who sold them a house has been settled out of court.

The parties involved in

the case are forbidden to disclose the details of the settlement.

The case has been making its way through the court system for more than a year.

It began when Randy and Jean Gravel of Blaine filed a lawsuit in Aroostook County Superior Court. At issue was a house on U.S. Route 1 that was sold to the couple more than four years ago by Lona Brewer of Presque Isle.

The couple accused Brewer of fraud for failing to disclose alleged problems with the home and property before she sold it to the Gravels, accusations that she denied.

The couple also named Peoples Heritage Bank and its parent company, Banknorth N.A., in the suit, as well as Julie Delano, listed in court documents as an agent and officer of the bank.

The Gravels secured a $38,000 mortgage through Peoples and contended they were denied their choice of attorney by the bank for use in the residential mortgage transaction. Delano was the agent who assisted them in

the mortgage process.

A judge earlier this year absolved Delano of any wrongdoing in the case.

The Gravels also had contended that the house Brewer sold them had defects in its furnace, well, windows and doors.

Brewer, who reared her daughter in the home, insisted that the damage was not there when she left the home and added that any such damage was because of neglect by the couple.

Brewer said recently that she is happy the case is over and grateful to her family and friends for sticking by her throughout the proceedings.

“The truth prevails,” she said. “I knew it would. I’m so thankful to my family and everyone else who helped me through this.”

Randy Gravel said recently that he was not happy with the outcome of the case. He said he suffered financial losses because of the legal battle and for the repairs that he said he has made to the home.

A representative for Banknorth did not return a phone call seeking comment.