Selling a home can be a daunting task and can leave you stressed. Moreover, it can expose your property to possible crimes such as burglary and other forms of theft. Since you also share so much personal information with various parties like real estate agents, you risk identity theft. This is where dishonest people use your details like bank account information to defraud you or commit a crime. You are also exposed to legal suits for misrepresentation of material information during the sale.
So, what are some of the steps you can take to protect yourself from being a target of break-ins and identity theft or facing legal cases?
Exercise utmost honesty in your seller disclosure
When selling a property, the seller makes a seller disclosure statement that details the state of the home, for example if it has ever been destroyed by fire or floods. You might be tempted to pass over some events that have affected your home since you want your house to appear most appealing so that it sells fast, but avoid that temptation. If something you didn’t disclose is discovered during the inspection or after closing the sale, you may face legal action for concealing or withholding such material information. You have a responsibility to disclose all of the relevant information and ensure that you do exactly that. After all, don’t you want to have peace of mind after selling the property?
Remove all valuables and personal items
With the many third-party sites available, all interested parties can view your home photos or videos when it is on sale. To uphold your privacy, put away any personal items, including pictures, jewelry, and other items during the photo or video shoot and when showing the house to potential buyers. You also need to remove all prescription drugs from the medicine cabinets and have no valuables in plain sight. While removing personal stuff protects them from theft or damage, it is a bonus since it allows the buyer to envision the house as their future home.
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Screen all of the potential buyers
When using a realtor to sell your property, let them take you through their process to ensure your safety and that of your property when dealing with potential buyers. In case you decide to sell the home yourself, make it mandatory that all showings are by appointment. Talk all those who get in touch with you through the showing procedure and follow up to confirm the appointments. Once the prospective buyers arrive, ask them for their photo ID. The buyers should not have any issue complying with your requirements if you are friendly and honest that you are doing that for your security.
Conclusion
Besides the above steps, you need to have all of the agreements, changes, and deals documented in the sale agreement. In case of anything after the sale, you can always refer to the document. Also, do your homework well to verify all agents’ and other parties’ details to avoid misrepresentation and cons.
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