Date post: | 15-Aug-2015 |
Category: |
Law |
Upload: | propertysettlements |
View: | 11 times |
Download: | 2 times |
A very alarming news regarding
fraudulent real property settlement have
shocked the whole real estate industry and
of Western Australia as well in 2011.
A Perth homeowner was shocked to
learn that upon coming back from a trip overseas,
his house had been sold without his knowledge by
fraud settlement agents and was learned that the
whole incident was a part of an elaborate
overseas scam.
John Samykannu, the owner of LJ Hooker
real estate agency in Mirrabooka was charged
with appropriate legal proceedings in the
State Administrative Tribunal by
Consumer Protection WA.
It was found out that the agency of
Samykannu breached the real estate agents’
Code of Conduct when they failed to properly
scrutinise the request to sell the
property in Ballajura.
What happened was the identity of
the homeowner (who is also the victim) had been
stolen by scammers from Nigeria. The total contract
price was believed to be at $400,000.
If you are looking for a house to buy
and you have bought a “hot” property, you
could also be in “hot water”.
You should try to learn how to avoid
fraudulent settlement transactions as well as
deceitful property settlement
agents in Perth.
It’s true that what happened in Ballajura
was done by Nigerian scammers and the real
estate agency was in the middle.
HERE’S HOW TO AVOID THEM:
Demand a license from settlement agents.
There’s nothing better than seeing that the settlement
representative that is in front of you is a
licensed settlement agent.
Upon demand, he should be able to show
to you the different licenses that he or his company
has to prove that they are licensed, reliable
and not fraudulent.
Ask around.
If you are really in doubt, you should
ask around for some answers and don’t
hesitate to find some answers.
Many people fall into fraudulent
traps in real estate because they either think
they know what they are doing and
who they are dealing with.
Remember, if it was found out
that the property you have bought is not
for sale and was offered to you by a scammer,
you are also going to be in trouble.
Always choose wisely for a
trustworthy professional settlement agent.
You should call the state regulator to make sure
that the agent’s license is current.
But, you have to check twice
because nearly all the bad ones were
licensed and were even members
of a trade association.
The best thing you should do
first in order to prevent this is to have the
knowledge of the current pricing of homes
or properties in your area.
If a settlement agent is offering
you something that has a lower price which
is lower than the average, be very
careful in dealing with them.
The fact of the matter is it’s
not really that difficult and time
consuming nowadays to find
something you need.
In the world of real estate, whenever
you want to know if that settlement agent is
really what he claims he is, then, go to the
website of his company and try to see if he
really is telling the truth.
Sometimes, the fault is not in the company
but in the individual. That settlement agent may
belong with the company but he has records
of fraud and scams.
Furthermore, if he is a “bad egg”, the
company can confirm to you if that person
is still in connection with them or not.
Since you might want to go online
so it would be convenient and easier for you to
find the best and most trusted settlement agents
in Perth, it’s best to take a look first at
AdvantageSettlements.com.au.
In Perth, this company is the most
trusted settlement company in Perth today.
Transacting with them will really give you a peace of
mind knowing that every transaction that you
give to them is 100% genuine.
REFERENCES:
Advantage Settlements
Phone: +61 8 9221 2600
Fax: +61 8 9221 2612
Email: [email protected]
Post: PO Box 5396 East Victoria Park WA 6981
Opening hours: 9.00am to 5.00pm - Monday to Friday
In person: Suite 2, First Floor, 896 Albany Highway,East Victoria Park 6101 WA