Buyer Beware – Homeowner Beware – Deed Retrieval Service Mislead Many Homeowners
Last week I received an email from my client who recently purchased her Lakeland FL home inquiring about her Deed. She wrote the following:
Petra, I have a question for you. I’m wondering about how long it takes to receive the deed for the house, and where it will come from. Last week I received something in the mail that seemed suspicious to me. It says it’s from the ”State Record Retrieval Board” and is from California. It says to receive a copy of my own deed I need to send them $87. This just doesn’t seem normal to me, so I thought I’d ask you. Thanks, Sandy
I’m glad she asked. There are homeowners who may think that is letter was sent by a government agency and quite honestly I thought the same thing when I glanced at this letter first.
I responded to Sandy, that this seems very suspicious and it was not necessary to send them any money because she had already paid ($10.00) to Polk County FL for the recording of the deed when she closed on the house.
While this letter does state at the bottom – “This is not a bill. This is a solicitation” – it is truly misleading to many new homeowners and it is borderline scam.
Homeowners! If you happen to receive such a letter, do not pay $87.00. You can obtain a copy of the recorded deed by going to the Clerk of Courts office and pay as little as $10.00.
My client was kind enough to send me the letter and I have included this letter so you can see what it looks like.
