Good morning lawyers,
My friend just "bought" a house. I think she got scammed: heres why:
- all she has is a notarized, by a bank, bill of sale, that says she is the owner
- no title or deed, but a promise that the deed will be mailed to her, and the title will be transferred once she pays off the lien on it
- the title should have a lien put on it by the owner, because the owner is financing my friend
Would she be the owner with a title in her name with a lien on it, without a deed? Also, do all the documents have to be registered with the local clerk?
Any help would be appreciated especially things to watch out for, as I do not trust the sellers.
From the LawyerCentral forum archive. Originally posted 30 April 2013 on a legal forum that has closed. Names and contact details were removed. See the original (Internet Archive).
It does seem like your friend may have been scammed. There are so many loose ends with the deal and the fact and above all that that there is no deed or title. I think your friend should meet a real estate litigation lawyer ( (removed) ) as soon as possible and explain the situation before moving ahead with this deal. They will be the ones to expert advice on how to take the next step. All the best to you and your friend.
She should definitely have a deed immediately and not just one that will be mailed to her. It would be good for her to get a real estate lawyer, because she's going to need all the legal help she can get. I'm not sure exactly how real estate works and so it's good to have a professional who can explain and walk you through things. (removed)
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