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Cold-calling new sales tactic for buying homes

CANFIELD — A new approach to home sales is happening.

Canfield police Chief Chuck Colucci said homeowners in the city recently made the department aware of people calling them, asking if they’d like to sell their house.

The department was receiving reports of the cold calls every so often in the early summer. By fall, the calls were more frequent.

The department looked at the first couple of calls and after receiving a few more inquiries, Colucci reached out to a local Realtor.

From their conversation, Colucci said there haven’t been any scams reported, but urges “people still need to be cautious … it doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen.”

A potential scam Colucci said could emerge is a home being undervalued. “Don’t let someone undervalue your home and try to basically steal it,” he said.

Chris Roman, a 21-year licensed Realtor locally with Howard Hanna, said that there is truth to the new house hunt.

The new calling tactic has evolved from the letters sent to homeowners by real estate agents, which still happens, but calling is simply a new approach to obtain a sale — whether for a client or for themselves to flip.

Another new way buyers are trying to intitate sales is by knocking on doors, Roman said. “Buyers are that aggressive in their approach to buy a house,” he said.

Residents should feel comfortable reaching out to help to establish a vetting process, both Colucci and Roman said.

To help establish a vetting process, Roman said don’t hesitate to jump on social media or search the prospective buyer’s name online.

“You’d be surprised what pops up just by searching” a provided phone number and name, Roman said. “There are public records”

People can also contact a Realtor to help decipher if an offer is accurate or if the homeowner is being taken advantage of, Roman said, adding that the Realtor can then contact the buyer for further credibility.

To help folks from a law enforcement standpoint, Colucci said Canfield residents can contact the department to help with the vetting process.

Cold-calling new sales tactic for buying homes

CANFIELD — A new approach to home sales is happening.

Canfield police Chief Chuck Colucci said homeowners in the city recently made the department aware of people calling them, asking if they’d like to sell their house.

The department was receiving reports of the cold calls every so often in the early summer. By fall, the calls were more frequent.

The department looked at the first couple of calls and after receiving a few more inquiries, Colucci reached out to a local Realtor.

From their conversation, Colucci said there haven’t been any scams reported, but urges “people still need to be cautious … it doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen.”

Read more in Monday’s Vindicator.

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