It can be difficult sometimes to determine if a listing of a property you find on the internet is genuine or not. This is exacerbated by the fact that even real estate agents can post none-existing property listings. You only find out that you are being lied to when you ask for a physical viewing. At this point they may take you to view a property that looks nothing like the one you found on the internet. This can be extremely annoying and amount to a huge waste of time.
Guide
There is simple guide to spotting genuine property listings. Here are the things you can look out for when you are viewing a listing online.
- General property description: One thing you can count on is that scammers are sloppy. They usually do not have enough time to provide enough information on a listing. Even when they do provide enough, they often do not vary it significantly from listing to listing. So, you are likely going to find similar information reused in many listings. Stay away from such listings.
- Property address: You should put on your skeptic hat if a listing does not provide any indication of where a property is located. The first thing to do is to make sure that you can visit and identify the physical property yourself.
- Agent/Seller’s contact information: Ensure that seller is contactable either through email or phone.
- Description matching: You should note something fishy if the description provided by the seller over email/phone or other mediums significantly differ from that of the listing you are viewing or have visited physically.
- Agent registration: Ensure that any agent involved is registered.
- Price check: Check that the price makes sense. If it is too good to be true, it probably is.
- Consultation: When unsure, consult a registered and trustworthy agent. Even if the registered agent is not associated with the property you are viewing, they likely have useful information for you.
Conclusion
In all, you really need to become a detective when trying to identify genuine listings. Always remember to talk to a registered and trusted agent who can provide good advice before your take your next step.
