Weird inquiry on home

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Permalink Reply by arthur on February 2, 2012 at 11:43pm

I think hes just an opportunistic realtor looking to make a buck in a depressed housing market.  I get the same letters from a guy near where I live and they all go into the recycle bin. When my wife died some of her estate had to go to probate, so maybe thats how they find you(property in probate gets published on a list for several months that stays open to the public so any creditors can come and make claims for any money owed to them by the deceased).In any case, you probably won't get near the value you sunk into your home for a mortgage  from prople like these in a depressed residential real estate market like this. I get the feeling that people like these are akin to lawyers who ambulance chase or who show up at wakes looking to make a buck. Have you had any property that belonged to your husband goto probate? If so then this may be what happened. Hope this helps.

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Permalink Reply by KristeninDenver on February 2, 2012 at 11:58pm

Thanks Arthur- that does help.  I am sorry you had those letters too.  Nothing has gone to probate as everything had joint tenancy and everything passed outside of probate.  No one else on my block received a letter like that. According to what he has posted online, he small-scale is a real estate investor that has bragged in forums that he will pay cash for their homes of people who have lost loved ones.   If he targeted me because my husband just died, then I think that is pretty slimy. 

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Permalink Reply by Lisa (lost) Lamb on February 3, 2012 at 12:01am

Some people just watch the paper. I got stuff from all over, none for the house. But I know they got my husbands name some someone. It would bother me, but I would just say no thanks and tell him to lose my number.

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Permalink Reply by Skylark on February 3, 2012 at 3:35pm

 Unfortunately, this seems to be something we all have to deal with now, as if we don't have enough in our first year or so alone.

Some of them watch the obituary columns, some of them watch court records or social security death listings, which you can access for a fee. Someone pull a really nasty one on me, and listed my house as being for sale on Zillow.com.

  It took a couple of tries and an actual phone conversation with Zillow to get it straightened out, but they assured me it would not happen again.

   I love it now when I get a phone call from one of these ghouls. I ask them why I would want to sell. They  tell me I don't need the specter of having my mortgage foreclosed hanging over my head. "Oh, you're right," I say. "I sure don't want that. That's why I paid it off."

  Then I hang up.

Sometimes, it's good to be me.

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Permalink Reply by Iris on February 7, 2012 at 5:51pm

very insensitive! but..it is business and these people are out to get a good deal. they obviously do not care about your emotional state. try to brush it off and be thankful that you are able to keep your house.

i am very sorry for your recent loss. wishing you pleace

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Permalink Reply by Kaye (Nextstep11) on February 8, 2012 at 6:48pm

No, you are not over reacting. This is a vulture, hoping you are in in financial distress or naive and gullible. Your first instinct was right.   Good for you!

 

We have to be advocates for ourselves. There are plenty of strangers ready to 'help' with reverse mortgages and "taking the burden of the mortgage off your hands".........

Thanks for bringing this subject up, too many of us are so overwhelmed we are at risk of being taken advantage.

If it doesn't sound right, there is a usuually a reason.

 

My best to you! Please share if you speak with him. Love to hear how how you gave him a piece of your mind.

 

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Permalink Reply by LostLady on December 12, 2012 at 8:42am

This is part of what happens to all of us.  Personally I am blessed to have a salesman repellant on hand.  I give all unwanted calls to my 2 year old daughter.  She loves it and it stops them from calling back.  They get the message pretty quickly.  Do not trust anyone who contacts you.  If you seek them out it is one thing but if they call you then they are working an angle.

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Permalink Reply by Blue Snow on December 12, 2012 at 1:20pm

I got one of those, too. They watch the obituaries and think a certain percentage of widows will make a deal to sell fast and not be on the ball enough emotionally to know they're getting taken for a ride....until it's too late to undo a quick decision under stress. I personally wouldn't make contact because that will only keep you on their radar screen.

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