LOS ANGELES AP Two California couples are suing KB Home and mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp., claiming the companies schemed with real estate appraisers to inflate prices paid for homes as the housing market began to tank.

The complaint, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, also names as a defendants KB Home Mortgage Co., Countrywide Home Loans Inc., Countrywide KB Home Loans – a joint venture of Countrywide and the builder – and two real estate appraisers.