There is no need for concern, at Creative Property Marketing, we screen all enquiries before we pass a potential buyer on to you.
One of the obvious concerns about advertising your home privately, especially via the Internet, is that you hear all manner of scare stories about spammers/scammers and people who just want to waste your time and bung up your e-mail inbox!
With Creative Property Marketing you are advertising privately, saving a fortune in fees whilst reaching an international audience of potential buyers. However, we also offer you a level of security against the scammers and spammers. You do not have to fear opening your email account to the world when advertising globally with us!
We screen out the time wasters and the spammers for you and only pass on qualified buyers who genuinely want to learn more about your property or who want to view it.
During 2017, we received 2,429 unique enquiries and we have learnt to spot all the versions of spam or scam that can come through. We check all messages before they are passed on to sellers to ensure you are only dealing with serious buyers.
Many websites that allow private sellers to advertise do not screen enquiries – they simply pass on an enquiry for you to deal with personally – always a good idea to check this before parting with any money.
There are all manner of scammers and spammers out there – regular e-mails drop into our inbox from the retired army general who is currently residing in Syria and has $8 million to invest. There is also a fair share of enquiries from very kind gentlemen who have so much money that they want to send it immediately, just as soon as they are provided with bank details!
* Of late, there has also been a growth in interest in expensive properties from “buyers” who want to meet in a country other than Spain to discuss the purchase – this is a sure fire sign that someone wants to hand you a large bundle of cash and it is normally a money laundering process.
* Another new form of spam which we are seeing more regularly is the requests for a “rent to buy” sale. For some sellers, a serious ‘rent-to-buy’ buyer is not a bad option, especially if the house is not occupied and completing a sale urgently is not a necessity. However, for many sellers, this type of sale simply isn’t feasible and we screen out these enquiries unless you want them, of course!
Some suggestions for selling privately and avoiding problems:
The fact is that whenever you reach a large audience of potential buyers, a small percentage will have a more sinister ulterior motive.
* Use a new e-mail address/account just for your property advertising – this way, any problems you encounter will not affect your personal e-mail address.
* Check with the website you wish to advertise on whether they do anything to check spam/scam messages. Most don’t – they simply pass on e-mails for you to handle. Even some of the most expensive and well-known websites will just transfer messages without any checks.
* Learn how to spot dodgy enquiries early – anyone who seems very enthusiastic could well be a good sign but, take a breath and spend a little time to look at their email address. Genuine Mr Smith from Bristol will likely have a sensible email address but Mr Scammer from somewhere less desirable may have an email address that makes you think it could be dodgy! We have checked out numerous email addresses that have seemed a bit strange and many have come back as genuine buyers but they simply have a very silly email address. Let us check it out though rather than you doing this!
* If you do receive a message which you feel could be a spam/scam message, don’t open it. If you do open it, do not click on any images or download buttons or live links.
* If you opened a spam message because it appeared to be coming from a friend, family member or even a work colleague, contact them immediately and let them know that their account has been compromised.
The reality is that scammers/spammers are quite rare and whilst it is wise to be wary of all incoming messages, the reality is that even with the odd spam message, they rarely become a problem.
Common sense is the best tool you can use to avoid problems – spot the signs early and if it looks too good to be true – you know what they say!
Please don’t be put off advertising your property privately – just make sure you use a reputable advertising agency or property website/portal – it is the future of property sales…
Select the correct marketing company and you can reach a global audience of buyers that you would not find any other way. Selling privately via the Internet is a great way to reach buyers and with the support of Creative Property Marketing, you only receive genuine buyers.
Please feel free to make contact via email or phone.
Email: info@creativepropertymarketing.com
Tel: 0034 951 400 228
Website: www.creativepropertymarketing.com
