Real estate transactions are the targets of scammers all the time. Here are a couple big ones that you need to watch out for.
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I spoke with a friend recently who told me about a real estate scam involving one of his clients.
They sold their house and were ready to move. The moving truck arrived, they loaded their belongings into it, and they drove off to the new home they had purchased.
The truck never showed up at the next house.
The client had been scammed by a fly-by-night moving company, and they never recovered their possessions. This is why today I would like to talk to you about real estate scams you need to avoid so that you don’t end up like my friend’s clients.
1. Moving companies. I had not heard of this before, but new scams pop up all the time. When we move, we use trusted movers that we have used over and over again and who provided consistently excellent service to our clients. When it comes to that point in the transaction, ask us about movers you are considering, and we can advise you about the reputability of that company.
2. Wiring instructions. After we close on your new home, you will receive a check either in the paper mail or you can have it wired to your bank account. A recent scam will email the buyers of pending listings and give out false email instructions for wiring money. In reality, that is not how we would do things. If you see emails like this, give us a call; let us be there for you as you walk through the process.
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New scams pop up all the time.
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If you are going through the process of buying a home or moving, use our experience to your advantage. We want to sell your home for the most money in the shortest amount of time and with the least amount of stress, which is where avoiding scams comes in. If you have any questions or are thinking of buying or selling a home, please feel free to reach out to us.
