| Imploding housing prices coupled to a mortgage | | | | many investors use corporations and trusts to |
| mess are propelling more people to consider selling | | | | hide their ownership of property you will probably |
| their houses to the professional home buyers | | | | find numerous entries under the Professional |
| whose advertisements you now see everywhere | | | | Home Buyer's name. Look for the earlier entries |
| you look. | | | | to get some idea of how long they have been |
| While they promise a fast sale and you can get | | | | buying houses. The longer they have been at it, |
| on with your life, you've got to be asking just | | | | the more likely they are to be able to actually |
| how safe it this? | | | | help. |
| In the first article in this series we suggested that | | | | This is not to say that a brand new person will |
| for a minimum, find out if they return phone calls | | | | not be of help, but it is comforting to know that |
| and actually show up for the appointment on time. | | | | the person who is looking to buy your house has |
| If they can't do something that simple, figure they | | | | done it before and hopefully for years and years. |
| will screw up buying your house as well. But there | | | | Now go to the county records for the civil court |
| is more. | | | | and see how often the person has been the |
| And four simple searches on will tell you a lot | | | | defendant in a law suit. Zero would be a good |
| more about whether you want to deal with this | | | | number, but in this climate of civil law suits most |
| guy (or gal) or not. | | | | anyone who has been in business for any length |
| First, just do a simple Google search of the | | | | of time may have been the defendant at one |
| person's name with some geographic limiters, such | | | | time or another. You do not want to see a |
| as "'George Beardsley' Pasco house." We suggest | | | | pattern of being sued and you will want to ask |
| you put the name of the home buyer in quotes | | | | about why he was sued and the outcome if he |
| to reduce the number of responses about other | | | | was sued. |
| people. In addition to the location (Pasco County) | | | | None of this will be conclusive. But, if you are |
| we also added the word house to further limit the | | | | armed with this information before the person is |
| search. | | | | scheduled to arrive at your house, you can learn |
| This will give you an idea of how active the | | | | a lot. First, does he arrive on time? Then, is he |
| person is, at least on the internet, the type of | | | | upset that you have done your home work and |
| business they are doing and maybe complaints or | | | | checked him out? I assure you he has checked |
| compliments from other viewers. Next Google the | | | | out your house and a real pro will expect you to |
| local newspaper, visit the archives and search for | | | | have done your home work as well. |
| the person's name. You may find a host of both | | | | Can he answer all the questions you have as a |
| positive and negative items that will help you | | | | result of your research and does he have a good |
| decide if you want to deal with him or her. | | | | explanation for all of the information you bombard |
| Now Google the name of the county and the | | | | him with? |
| words clerk of court and you will find two areas | | | | If so, then you want to go to the next step and |
| where you can really mine for the pay dirt. | | | | check out his contract terms, which we discuss in |
| "Public records" will contain a list of all the | | | | the next installment. |
| properties bought and sold in the county. Although | | | | |