How To Spot A Suspicious Property Listing Just By Looking At It
Posted on: 12 January 2018
It is sad that the real estate property industry has its bad apples just like other industries. There are criminals who post phony properly listings as a way getting money from unsuspecting property buyers without delivering the said properties. Here are a few ways to spot potentially dangerous listings:
Unusual Typos
A professionally crafted listing shouldn't contain a typo; it's even worse if a listing contains several typos. Therefore, if you are reading a listing and you are wondering whether the seller is a child, there are two more things you should think about. First, a listing or description full with grammatical errors may mean that the seller doesn't care too much about the sale; if they don't care about the sale, then how can you be sure they have been taking good care of the property? Secondly, it may also mean that you are not dealing with an actual property seller, but rather a scammer who is after your personal information or money.
Sob Stories
The human emotion is a powerful tool, and conmen understand this only too well. That is why you may find a suspicious listing with sad or emotional stories detailing why the owner is selling the house. Therefore, your suspicions should be aroused if a property is being sold because the seller "lost their parent and cannot afford the house. Professional property sellers rarely use such tactics to sell properties.
Missing Photos
Pictures contribute a great deal to securing successful property sales. That is why homeowners go to great lengths to stage their houses and take the best pictures possible for their listings. Therefore, the absence of pictures on a listing should be an immediate red flag. It may mean that the house is in a state of disrepair and the seller doesn't want to show its true state. It may also mean that the purported "seller" doesn't really own the property and don't have the permission to take the relevant pictures.
Unusually Low Listing Price
Those who want to scam others via real estate listings don't want to scare you away with expensive properties. They will use every means to rope you in for the kill, and one of these ways is to quote attractive (read low) prices. It doesn't mean that every cheap house belongs to a conman, but you should definitely think twice if the listing price looks too good to be true.
The good news is that you don't have to worry about losing your money if using an experienced realtor. The realtor will spot the scam and protect you from its intended consequences.
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