The Nest Homes lawsuit picture is not one case but several: United Community Bank is suing the Mooresville, North Carolina builder and its two principals for more than $4.1 million in unpaid construction loan debt, a Denver, North Carolina couple has already won a $1.6 million judgment against the company over an abandoned build, and subcontractors have brought claims totaling roughly $1.7 million more. The company has shuttered, and half-built houses in Mooresville and Statesville have sat stalled for about a year.
United Community Bank’s $4.1 Million Claim
In August 2024, United Community Bank filed a verified complaint in Mecklenburg County Superior Court against Nest Homes, LLC and its two principals, Zeno Brent Hawkins and Eric Matthew Wood.1Law.com. United Community Bank Seeks $4.1M in Loan Repayments From Charlotte-Based Housing Developer The three had signed a Master Residential Construction Line Agreement in December 2021 for a credit facility of up to $12 million, with Hawkins and Wood each personally guaranteeing the borrower’s obligations.2Law.com. United Community Bank v. Nest Homes, LLC, Case No. 24-CVS-036615-590, Verified Complaint
The bank sent a formal Notice of Default on May 29, 2024, after payments stopped. By July 23, 2024, the outstanding balance was $4,178,828.88, and interest was still running.2Law.com. United Community Bank v. Nest Homes, LLC, Case No. 24-CVS-036615-590, Verified Complaint The claims are breach of the promissory note against Nest Homes and breach of guaranty against Hawkins and Wood personally. The complaint does not allege fraud or misuse of loan draws. It is framed as a straight contract dispute over missed payments.
The $1.6 Million Homeowner Judgment
A couple in Denver, North Carolina, sued Nest Homes after alleging the builder walked away from their home mid-construction, leaving them with flooding, long delays, and large unexpected costs. Their claims included breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation, and they won a $1.6 million judgment against the company.3Pride Magazine. Our House Was Abandoned: Couple Says Builder Left Them With Flooding, Delays and Massive Bills
Subcontractor Claims
Subcontractors who worked on projects for Nest Homes and a related builder called Helmsman Homes say they were never paid. Masonry, roofing, and other trades have claimed roughly $1.7 million in combined unpaid debts against the two developers.4Yahoo News. North Carolina Homeowners Upset Living Near Unfinished Homes
One of those disputes moved into federal court in January 2025, when Robert Helms Construction, Inc. filed a complaint against Helmsman Homes and additional unnamed defendants in the Western District of North Carolina, demanding a jury trial.5PACER Monitor. Robert Helms Construction, Inc. v. Helmsman Homes, LLC et al., Case No. 5:2025cv00015 The public docket confirms the filing but does not list the specific damages sought or identify the other defendants.
The Unfinished Houses in Mooresville and Statesville
Subdivisions that Nest Homes and Helmsman Homes were building in Iredell County have sat stalled for about a year. Subcontractors left the sites after going unpaid, and the half-built houses have deteriorated in the open: fraying housewrap, rusting materials, overgrown lots, and in one case a roof propped up by a single two-by-four.4Yahoo News. North Carolina Homeowners Upset Living Near Unfinished Homes
The Iredell County director of building standards confirmed that both companies have closed, and their remaining properties are now held by banks and mortgage companies. In one Mooresville subdivision, a replacement developer has stepped in to finish the work. Homeowners in a Statesville neighborhood, as of June 2025, were still waiting to learn whether another builder would take over.4Yahoo News. North Carolina Homeowners Upset Living Near Unfinished Homes
Who Ran Nest Homes
Nest Homes was organized as a North Carolina limited liability company based in Mooresville. Court filings identify Zeno Brent Hawkins, a Mecklenburg County resident, and Eric Matthew Wood, an Iredell County resident, as the company’s principals and as the personal guarantors on its construction credit line.2Law.com. United Community Bank v. Nest Homes, LLC, Case No. 24-CVS-036615-590, Verified Complaint
Based on available reporting, neither man has been publicly charged with a crime tied to these matters. Their exposure is civil: the bank’s claim of more than $4.1 million, the homeowners’ $1.6 million judgment, and the subcontractor suits alleging another $1.7 million in unpaid work.