Plunging home values in many housing markets across the country have led to increased short sales (sales in which a home sells for less than the amount owed on the mortgage), and some scam artists are using the spike in short sales to commit fraud. California-based CoreLogic, a firm that provides research, analysis and business services to real estate and other industries, is reporting that lenders need to be on the lookout for short sale fraud. CoreLogic reports that nearly two percent (1.9) of all short sales in the U.S. over the last two years are fraudulent. They estimate at least 15,000 cases of short sale fraud, or approximately one in every 53 sales. There are many variations on this scam, but they all involve collusion between unscrupulous agents and buyers who agree to sell a home below current market value and quickly resell the home at a profit. CoreLogic reports that in most cases, the crooked agent has a higher offer for the home from a lender that he or she “overlooks” in order to make a bigger profit by selling at a lower price to another buyer. In this arrangement, the agent makes money, the buyer saves money and the lender is the fraud victim that takes a loss of tens of thousands of dollars. Short sales help homeowners struggling to meet their mortgage obligations by allowing them to move on, and these transactions help lenders by attenuating financial losses and removing the liabilities of a property sitting empty for months on end. If you’ve been considering the advantages of Louisville short sales for your next home or as an investment property, contact Louisville Properties today at 502.744.9504. No scams, we promise.