SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Antonio Zavarce is a realtor who also buys homes and remodels them to put back on the market, it’s called house flipping.

Zavarce said he could flip up to six homes a year, but in 2023, things did not go as planned with a contractor he signed an agreement with. The contractor, Mike Simmons, had done work before and sent Antonio and his business partner clips of him working in the background of an HGTV home remodel in Minden. They were impressed.

Simmons was working on two homes for them and had completed 70 percent of the work on one and 5 percent on the other – then he stopped showing up, according to Zavarce. 

After paying him nearly $40,000 and no doing additional work, the next logical step was to contact the police.

The joint Caddo-Shreveport Police Financial Crime Task Force investigated and found that Simmons was not licensed to do the work, which is a crime. Police issued a warrant for his arrest for not having a license, but Zavarce said they would still have to pursue him in court to recover any money.

Thinking of hiring a contractor?

To ensure they are licensed, visit the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. They have a wide range of information regarding consumer protection.

They also list the following tips before you sign an agreement.

1. Plan Your Project
2. Get 2-3 Estimates
3. Verify the Contractor’s License
4. Check at Least 3 References
5. Require a Written Contract
6. Don’t Make a Large Down Payment
7. Make Payments as Work is Completed
8. Monitor the Job in Progress
9. Don’t make the final payment Until the Job is Completed
10. Keep All Paperwork Related to Your Job

The LSLBC has a downloadable complaint form, or you can file your complaint online.

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