Western Pennsylvania family warns of rent-to-own contracts following dream home disaster

It was supposed to be Nicole and Jason Cowens’ dream home, but it turned into an absolute nightmare.

The Cowens moved from New Jersey to Western Pennsylvania to give their family a better life, good schools for their kids and a big yard to play in. They tell 11 Investigates Amy Hudak the minute they put down a deposit, something felt off. And Channel 11 has since learned, they’re not the only ones.

“We want property, we want our kids to explore and have fun,” Jason Cowens said. “It’s big enough for our family and it just fits,” Nicole Cowens added.

So, 1856 Pleasant Grove Road was a charming rent-to-own home on 20 acres in Claysville. Rick Hodge is the homeowner.

“He took us around on a side-by-side to see the whole property,” Nicole Cowens remembers. “I said this is perfect.”

Hodge said they needed to go through his realtor, Mario Garcia.

“There were some questionable things,” Nicole Cowens tells 11 Investigates. “I was like, maybe it’s just me overthinking it. I’ve never done this before. It’s a whole new state.”

11 Investigates asked if she had ever seen Mario Garcia at this point.

“Never met him, but he was the ‘realtor,’” Nicole added.

When it came time to put down a deposit, the Cowens said the pressure was off the charts.

“Send the money, send the money, send the money,” Nicole recalls. “He said, ‘go to Walmart. Do a Walmart to Walmart, like a Western Union type of transfer.’”

The Cowens said a woman in line, who happened to be a realtor, told them that it didn’t seem right and to verify before sending anything.

“We call Rick - ‘yeah send it to Mario,’ Mario sends him through text a copy of his license, Nicole recalls. ‘Here’s my ID, here’s where you are going to send it.’”

The money was wired; the contract was signed. They packed up and left their life in N.J. behind.

“Trucks are loaded, we’re on our way, we’re excited,” the Cowens tell 11 Investigate. “Rick goes ‘The key is under the doormat.’”

Six hours and 400 miles later, the Cowens pull up to their new home.

“We show up, there’s no Rick, no key,” Nicole adds.

The Cowens say that around 10 p.m., Hodge showed up and said he didn’t get any money.

“‘I shouldn’t let you in, I didn’t get any money,’” the Cowens recall Hodge telling them. “I said that’s between you and your realtor,” Jason added.

“I was telling him you should call the police,” Nicole added. “There is something that’s not right.”

The Cowens say Hodge threatened eviction immediately, and more red flags went up.

“I go on Google, type in ‘Mario Garcia Home Partners,’ just that, and oh my,” Nicole tells 11 Investigates. “Mario Garcia scam, BBB, all these companies, fake names.”

In an online group, the Cowens found the Rapps.

“That was like a needle in a haystack,” Jamie Rapp tells 11 Investigates.

Before the Cowens tried to buy 1856 Pleasant Grove Road, the Rapps’ adult son with disabilities tried to buy the same house from Richard Hodge and Mario Garcia. The Rapps say he put down every dollar he saved pending inspection.

“The home inspector sends us the report,” Jamie Rapps tells 11 Investigates. “The sewer wasn’t good, the water in the well was contaminated and wasn’t getting enough flow, and there were some other problems within the house.”

The Rapps asked for their deposit back with no success. They hired a lawyer who tried to serve Hodge and Garcia, but the letters were undeliverable.

The Rapps’ son never got back his $15,000, but they did share a 24-page inspection report with the Cowens and 11 Investigates. The Cowens say it wasn’t disclosed to them, which is illegal. That inspection report documented a failing roof, dangerous ceilings, bad electrical wiring, missing parts for the hot water heater and gas line and cracks in the foundation.

Then there is the yard the Cowens wanted so badly for their kids.

“That’s all human feces and gray water,” Cowens showed 11 Investigates.

Their lease states they are only responsible for fixes that are $500 or less.

11 Investigates tracked down Richard Hodge. We asked him about Mario Garcia.

“Mario Garcia - great question,” Hodge tells Channel 11. “Some dude that presented himself as some big, fancy company that works with real estate agents. Turns out he was a scam too. Supposedly, the FBI is after him.”

The Rapps say he claimed Mario Garcia scammed him, too. But that was before the Cowens.

“How is it that he’s done this twice but still claiming to be the victim as well?” the Rapps tell 11 Investigates. “If you were the victim, the first time this happened, you wouldn’t keep doing business with him and tell people to send money to the same bank account.”

Hodge maintains he’s done nothing wrong, and the Cowens are stealing from him by not securing a mortgage. They’ve gone through court to battle it out. A judge has determined the Cowens have until May of 2026 to get approved for a mortgage or the eviction process will begin.

The Cowens and Rapps say they reached out to 11 Investigates, so nobody else loses their money on a rent to own contract.

“There is going to be someone else after me who is going to be scammed,” Nicole Cowens said. “Somebody has to be the one to stand here and fight this battle.”

11 Investigates tried to track down Mario Garcia with no luck.

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