The following measures which are handy when selling a house quickly without an agent help one avoid scams.
The pressure to make the sales fast exposes the sellers to some cons including scams. By the way, it is possible to work with a real estate agent to have protection if you know what precautions to take. Below are some guidelines to ensure you do not fall for a scam when selling a house quickly with the help of an agent.
Choose a Reputable Agent
First of all, choose a real estate agent who has a good background, good references, and previous experience. You can check their licenses and association with professional bodies through your state’s real estate commission. An ideal agent should have a number of sales and other transactions to his or her portfolio as well as satisfied past clients.
Verify Agent Credentials
Inquire about the agent’s license number for real estate and verify it by proving it to the regulatory agent within your state. It will assist in verifying, you are dealing with a qualified and genuine personnel.
Research the Agent’s Background
Carry out background check. Open website and look for customer feedbacks, ratings and testimonials on the various real estate websites as well as the different social media platforms. One can also opt to talk to other clients who have undergone the therapy so that to hear their testimonies. An agent holding a respect and popularity score will not engage in any fraudulent activities.
Avoid Upfront Fees
You should be very cautious of agents that seek to collect huge amounts of money before they can start working. Qualified real estate agents usually get their commission from the portion of the selling price and not required to be paid up front. Make sure you are not only known about the fee charges of this agent but also about the other charges he will take from you.
Review Contracts Carefully
The scammers also use fake contracts which they use to lure sellers into them. It is advisable to read all contracts thoroughly before sign all of them. It is recommended to seek services of a real estate attorney to review the documents and represent the client’s interests. This means that one has to be wary of any increased or complicated conditions which are set by the borrower.
Beware of Too-Good-To-Be-True Offers
Another lesson is that if the offer is setup scandalously irresistible it usually is. Some fraudsters may involve high figures in their offer in order to get you to commit into what they are offering you. As for offers received, discuss with the agent and analyze them and relate them with the current market price in order to assess whether the offers are realistic or not.
Use Secure Payment Methods
Make sure that all the monetary operations are made in a safe and recognizable way. Do not use cash to complete deals and always demand and/or initiate wiring of funds or the use of cashier’s checks for deposits and/or final payments. This creates a paper trail and is somewhat safer.
Stay Informed and Vigilant
The following real estate tips involve being aware of the various fraudulent activities in the market and being alert in all the selling phases. Always get in touch with your agent often and ensure you clear any issues that you may have as soon as they arise. People might have certain instincts or hunches that something is wrong and should not continue until the situation is examined.
Summing up, it is possible to note that selling your home fast can certainly bring you to scammers, however, learning more about this issue can help minimize this threat.
Selecting a reliable agent, confirming their identity, buying and selling a property without upfront payment and expenditure, scrutinizing contracts, analyzing offers cautiously, making secure payment and being sharp- sighted can help one in selling a property safely.
