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Swamped with solicitations?

Here's what's going on…

🏘️ High Demand for Real Estate:
Attractive Market: Your property is in a desirable location, attracting investors who see potential for profit. This includes many big companies who send attractive offers, but then deduct hidden fees and commissions.

📊 Public Records:
Accessible Information: Probate data is public record and accessible on county websites,Hillsborough is Hillsclerk.com, Pinellas is PinellasClerk.gov, and Pasco is PascoClerk.com. This means anyone can search recent records and see your info. I would recommend asking your Attorney if there’s anything you can do to mask your information or change the contact info or phone number.

📉Get Rich Quick” Gurus Selling Your Info:
Florida has become a hot spot for real estate “gurus” who sell probate info to naive investor students. This practice leads to overwhelming solicitations, unreasonable loss of equity, canceled contracts near the closing date, and ultimately frustration and confusion about the property’s true value.

How To Take Back Control

Stop Phone Calls and Texts
  • Join the Do Not Call list: www.donotcall.gov
  • Look into robocall blocking Apps: RoboKiller, NomoRobo, Smart Call Blocker
  • Reply, STOP, END, or REPORT to all RoboTexts. iPhone includes “Delete and Report Junk” option 
Stop Letters

 

  • Keep a pen in the mailbox and write “Return To Sender” & “Take Off List” on each unwanted letter and leave for the mail carrier to return. This takes time, but the senders will eventually remove your info.

Protect Your Real Estate Inheritance

Tips to spot lowball offers - unrealistically high offers - and potential scams:

🚩Red Flags for Lowball Offers —

  • Unreasonably Low Prices and Exaggerated Repair Costs: Offers significantly below market value without a reasonable explanation or walkthrough. Always insist that potential buyers justify their repair estimates.
  • Pressure Tactics: Pushing you for a quick decision. 
  • Inexperienced or Unknown Buyers or Realtors: Buyers who are new to real estate with no track record or are not well-known in the local market.
  • Sight-Unseen Contracts or Fake Offer Checks: Beware of investors who mail fake offer checks or contracts without knowing the property’s condition. Big companies do this, and often “adjust” the offer later on. 
  • Very Low Earnest Deposit: Low earnest money or failure to show proof of deposit with the title company.
  • Unusually Long Inspection Periods: Extended periods allowing the buyer to back out without losing their deposit, even up to the day of closing..

🚩Signs of Unrealistically High Offers —

  • The Numbers Don’t Add Up: The cash offer or listing proposal is too good to be true considering the needed repairs. The days of “suckers” paying too much for properties are over. Overpriced offers never close and just waste time. Make sure Realtors justify the price with recent comparables and aren’t just trying to get a listing.
  • No Proof of Funds: Buyer cannot verify financial capability.
  • Lack of Communication or Consistent Delays: Difficult to contact or unwilling to communicate with your attorney, frequently asking for extensions. 

🚩Signs of Scams —

  • Lengthy Paperwork or Capture Clauses: Excessive documents or terms obligating you to sell to them or pay hefty cancellation fees. Watch out for contracts that allow them to advertise on the MLS without permission.
  • Unusual Requests: Asking for upfront fees, offering to fix up the property for free, or live there until it sells.
  • Impersonating the Attorney: Pretending to be from the attorney’s office to get you to sign sale documents.