A Cop's Read on the Real Estate Scams Hitting Santa Clarita Sellers

I spent 20 years at LAPD before real estate. That job changes how you see the world. You stop assuming the person on the phone is who they say they are, and you start looking for the tell. I still do it, every day, on behalf of the people I list homes for. Selling a home moves a lot of money, and where money moves, predators follow. Here is what I watch for.

Wire fraud is the big one

This is the scam that empties accounts. A criminal gets into an email thread near your closing, poses as the escrow company or the title company, and sends “updated wiring instructions.” You wire your proceeds, or a buyer wires their funds, and it lands in the criminal’s account. By the time anyone notices, it is gone.

How to shut it down: never trust wiring instructions that arrive by email, even if the email looks perfect. Call the escrow officer at a number you already have, not the number in the email, and verbally confirm every digit before anyone sends a dime. If instructions “change” at the last minute, treat that as a red flag until proven otherwise.

The fake or unqualified buyer

Not every scam empties an account. Some just waste your most valuable asset, which is time on market. A “buyer” with a slick story and no real proof of funds ties up your home, then vanishes or renegotiates hard after you have taken it off the market.

How to shut it down: verified proof of funds and a real lender preapproval before your home comes off the market for anyone. This is where a listing agent working only for you matters. I am reading that offer for you, not managing my own side of the deal.

Equity skimming and “we buy houses” pressure

Distressed sellers get targeted with lowball cash offers, upfront fee traps, and paperwork that quietly signs away equity. The pitch is speed and relief. The cost is often tens of thousands of dollars you did not have to give up.

How to shut it down: before you sign anything with a fast-cash buyer, get a real market opinion on what your home is worth. You can search the whole Santa Clarita market free on this site, any hour, and you can call me for a straight number with no obligation.

The simple rule

Slow down at the exact moment someone is pushing you to hurry. Verify by voice. Get a second set of eyes. When I list your home, that second set of eyes is mine, and it is trained to spot the tell.

I’m Connor MacIvor, Connor with Honor, Santa Clarita’s seller’s only agent. Call or text me any time at 661-888-4983.