We see these signs or signs like it all over town.  We know people who have gotten the letters in the mail that make all kinds of promises.  The kind of promises that a desperate person in foreclosure wants to hear.  People who are behind on their mortgage payments looking for some kind of miracle to save their homes. 

I know as Realtors you are required by law to follow a certain set of ethical and legal practices or face stiff penalties.   These laws were of course enacted to protect the consumer on the single greatest purchase they will ever make.  It also assures the consumer that this Licensed Professional has had to meet a certain level of education in order to be licensed.  This of course if not the situation for Short Sale Predators.

These Short Sale Predators can make any promise they want in order to take advantage of an emotionally distressed home owner.   It is not about helping the home owner but rather it is about the bottom line.  How much can the Short Sale Predator make off of this unsuspecting and emotional person.

I am a Conservative and capitalist from the day I was born.  I all all about the American Dream and the Entrepreneurialal Spirit and that hard-work should be rewarded.  Making money in this world is a good think and drives the economy.  But at the end of the day you have to look at this type of practice and wonder just how ethical it really is.  But even more importantly should these people be allowed to function in this high stakes game without be licensed?

We read and hear the arguments that are being made by these Predators.  On the surface they all sound legit and even like they just maybe a bunch of good folks who really care about their fellow man.  Heck it is legal so what is the big deal?

This will be open for debate for a very long time and I am sure will stir some debate on here.   Quite frankly that is why I wrote this blog article about it.  Personally I think if a person or company is buying more than a couple of properties a year then they should be licensed just like a Real Estate Agent.  They should have to live by the same moral, ethical and legal standards as any licensed Real Estate Agent.

In closing let me say this.  I do not believe that every short sale in this country done by a non-licensed person is a Predator.  I think there are some folks in it to make some money but they want to help as well.  I do believe that the majority of these people are Short Sale Predators and because of their less than ethical behavior should be licensed to protect the consumer.