08 Mar 2026 - AJ
So this week’s post is about those ‘we buy houses regardless of condition’ ads.
Are they scams? This is not easy to answer. They are at the very least a predatory practice that goes after the poorest and most desperate - the same audience who ends up with payday loans.
I was inspired by running across some ProPublica articles about the practice. I’d seen ads like this around town and get them myself. Thing is, I’m far from underwater on my mortgage and I’m not about to sell my place. But I’m lucky - I have financial discipline and I get paid pretty decently. I can afford my home and all the maintenance.
I also get them for some property in a retirement community in Arizona that isn’t mine, I suspect my phone number somehow got attached to someone else over the years. I’m actually glad I get that one because that means an older person isn’t getting it.
I will mention this for someone tempted by one of these offers: I found my last realtor while I was touring places I was looking at buying. She was selling a house that was very much in need of TLC, she was straightforward about it, and it impressed me enough that I hired her for selling my last place. So you can find realtors who will do their damndest to sell a place in less than ideal condition. Pick up your phone book, or the electronic version, and start calling around. You’ll find someone.