The media has recently reported on two houses that were sold or listed for sale without the seller’s knowledge. One of the two houses is located right here in the East End.
Stealing someone’s identity and then selling their home is a complicated, invasive and elaborate scheme. It sounds so far-fetched that it is hard to believe it can actually happen!
We have never encountered a scenario like this at our brokerage and we hope no one will ever fall victim to this crime. Due to these recent events, our team has carefully reviewed our protocols. We have placed even greater emphasis on adhering to procedures and due diligence processes so that we can ensure the safety of our clients and community always comes first.
Our role as REALTORS®
As REALTORS®, we have an obligation to perform due diligence when taking on clients, as required under the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act (REBBA), and the Trust in Real Estate Services Act (TRESA).
Confirming identities
As real estate agents, we are required to verify identity and complete a government-mandated FINTRAC compliance form for every seller and buyer of a home.
For an impersonator to attempt to sell another person’s house, he/she would first have to steal the homeowner’s identity. Assuming an identity requires the person to have a valid government photo ID which must match the name on the land registry and the title of the property. The image on the photo ID must also match the name of the person selling the home. The REALTOR® is required to verify all of the above.
A seller is also required to provide several pieces of documentation regarding the home they are selling, along with their photo ID. Typically, our REALTORS® will ask for copies of the property’s tax bills, a land survey, receipts for repairs, permits for renovations or additions, and warranty information on appliances, roofs, windows, etc. Homeowners are expected to be able to produce these documents.
The home
A seller needs to have unlimited, physical access to the home for the many meetings that need to happen in the home selling process. In any given sale, it is typical for the seller to meet with the REALTOR® at the property at least once, if not more often. In addition, there are many other professionals who will be coming and going and working at the home during the listing period – the designer will visit to establish a staging plan, and the prep team and tradespeople will be working on-site attending to minor repairs and fixes, the home inspector will thoroughly investigate the home, furniture will be delivered, a team of designers will stage the home, the photographers will take photos from every angle and the listing agent will be keeping tabs on this all. If the home is vacant, the listing agent will visit the home frequently to ensure the lights are turned on and off and that everything is in perfect order. Needless to say, there is a lot of action taking place in the home before it hits the market and there are a lot of “eyes” to make sure all is well.
Community
It would be very hard for someone impersonating a home seller to pull the wool over the eyes of the real estate agent, the bank and the lawyers, but in this community, it would be a real challenge to deceive the neighbours.
We have a tight-knit community where everyone knows each other. Our community really is, and always has been, a village. Our entire DeClute family has been here in the East End since the early 1900s, within the small geographical area bounded by Midland Ave. and Kingston Rd to the east, and Woodbine Ave. and Queen St. to the west. Our family is made up of four generations of REALTORS® and, previous to that, they were builders in this neighbourhood.
Being a four-generation business that has bought and sold homes on almost every street in the East End, we are well-connected to the neighbours of the homes we sell. With these strong community relationships, it is likely that the neighbours will approach us if something “feels off” about a home for sale on their street – it’s that old-fashioned “Community Watch”.
Our top 5 tips to protect yourself and your home
In conclusion, here are some tips to help protect you and your home:
- If you are a snowbird, travelling, or planning to be out of your home for an extended period of time, do not post this information or your current location on social media platforms.
- Ask a neighbour, family member, friend, or trusted REALTOR® to keep an eye on your home for you. (Check with your home insurance company as they usually have requirements about how often your home needs to be checked while you are away for maintenance reasons.)
- If you are away for extended periods of time, six months or a year, call your real estate agent and ask them to do a title search on your property’s title periodically, while you are away. A title search shows the name of who legally owns the property and can reveal any mortgages or liens registered on the title of the property.
- Take note if your tax bill is no longer being delivered to your home. Make sure it is not going elsewhere. Set up online accounts, if possible, and protect your personal info. Get in the habit of checking your credit card reports, and bank and credit card statements, and report anything that seems irregular or incorrect immediately.
- Shred personal documents and make sure to collect your mail as soon as possible, and regularly. If you are on vacation, ask a neighbour to collect the mail for you so it does not sit in your mailbox
It’s important to protect yourself from fraud and identity theft, not just for your home’s safety but for your personal safety as well. Call us anytime to discuss anything we’ve mentioned above. We’re always happy to help!
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