Court puts the brakes on Brooks Houck's property deals in Crystal Rogers civil case

In a new order, the judge has forbidden Brooks Houck from selling or buying any new properties with one exception.

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A Nelson County judge just put serious restrictions on Brooks Houck's ability to buy, sell, or mortgage property while the wrongful death lawsuit Sherry Ballard filed against him works its way through the court system.

Ballard is suing Houck on behalf of Crystal Rogers and four of her children, accusing Houck of "wrongfully and intentionally" causing the death of Rogers.

Ballard filed the lawsuit in 2023, in the weeks after Houck was arrested and charged with Rogers' murder. The lawsuit largely sat until earlier this year, after Houck was convicted of the crime and sentenced to life in prison.

According to court records, on the same day he was convicted of murder, Houck started calling his family from jail. The transcribed conversations included in court documents record him asking them to start selling properties and other items, saying, "it all needs to go. All of it needs to go."

In response to those phone calls, Ballard asked for a temporary injunction to stop Houck from moving around his real estate assets while they awaited trial in the civil case.

What does the new order mean?

It forbids Houck from doing pretty much anything involving real estate. The judge's order says Houck can't:

• Sell or transfer any property he personally owns
• Move property owned by his businesses (that's Houck Rentals, Select Quality Homes, and Central Kentucky Real Estate Rentals)
• Take out any new mortgages or loans against his properties

He does get to keep paying his existing mortgages, which includes dozens and dozens of rental properties across Nelson County. The order also does not mention anything about other assets- like heavy machinery or construction gear, which Houck was heard asking his sister to sell on those recorded jail phone calls.

The one big exception

Houck can still sell lots in a subdivision called the Copperfield because he had a deal in place with Hatfield Homebuilders way back in March 2022. The court specifically noted this was "before the defendant's indictment, conviction, or the filing of this lawsuit." Basically, since that deal was already cooking before all this legal saga started, it gets to continue.

What happens next?

There was supposed to be a big hearing on October 8th, on the subject of Houck selling properties but that's been called off because everyone agreed to these terms.

If Houck really needs to do something with his property down the road, he can ask the judge for permission. But for now, most of his real estate dealings are on ice until this wrongful death case gets resolved.

There are no court dates currently set in this case.

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