ShortSaleUS.com charged me $499 upfront to conduct Short Sale negotiations with my mortgage bank. This did not include listing or selling the property for sale, which is being handled by a local agent. ShortSaleUS.com has a well written website at www.ShortSaleUS.com, and I spoke with the principal, Mr Fred Klaus. At first, Fred was articulate, informative and a very friendly chap. He answered every question thoroughly... Appeared to know the foreclosure laws in several different states, and was very responsive initially.
Then after a few more phone calls, I decided to move forward, and filled out their simple multi-page contract, submitted some financial information and mailed in the $499 check, as requested. A couple of weeks went by with no phone call or affirmation from ShortSaleUS.com that the check or paperwork had been received. So I called them, and left a message... No return phone call... Then I called again several days later and left another message, and still no returned phone call. My phone calls accelerated and still no return phone call... At one point the voicemail messaging system at ShortSaleUS.com was full and could not take any new messages... Evidently there are other victims of this slick con-artist. 6 weeks have gone by, and my Mortgage Bank called me inquiring about the subject property, and informed me that no one has contacted them about a proposed Short Sale... I have been had.
I am currently going to contact the Better Business Bureau, the real estate department in Ohio, and other venues, but the prospects are not good for me retrieving any of my funds. ShortSaleUS.com is located in Westerville, Ohio.
The moral of my sad story is, the easiest thing one can do to prevent being swindled by a con-artist like ShortSaleUS.com, is to not do business with a Short Sale company that charges any type of upfront fee. Only deal with companies that are compensated by the successful completion of the Short Sale at the close of escrow.
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