05/20/2022
Realtor PSA: copied from another Realtor!! But Beware!!
Just finished with Lee County Sheriff and spoke with our Board of Realtors. We have been dealing with a man for approximately 4 months. He was originally a sign call on a pending listing, as normal set him up on a search, requested a copy of his ID, Proof of Funds and or Loan Approval Letter which he could or would not provide. He tried to get one of our team members to meet him in several vacant properties from Labelle, Fort Myers and North Fort Myers, she refused without documentation we asked for.
That turned into I have a house and 2 lots in Lehigh Acres I need to sell. He does indeed own the lots with a woman but does not own the house. The house is vacant and owned by a couple that lives in Ocala, Fl.
Today he requested one of our team members to meet him at the house to get it listed. We asked multiple times for proof he owned the home because nothing was listed in the clerk of courts stating he has any authority to sell the home.
This morning I had my friend that has the Forewarn App to run his phone number and name. Her board of Realtors along with many boards across the country offer this app to their Realtors for free- hoping Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association will be offering this to us soon after our conversation today.
What showed up: Sexual Battery, Assault with a deadly weapon (multiple times), sexual assault with a minor, in**st, fraud and more. 69 actual arrests.
The Sheriff told us we did exactly what we should have done by contacting them. He is a very dangerous and mentally unstable man. He is still free in Lee County, Florida and could be targeting other Realtors.
Trust your instinct, do your homework, research people you are going to meet, keep your Life360 app turned on your phone at all times so your people know where you are.
We are calling today a win as we are here to tell this story and hopefully it is a reminder to other Realtors all over the world - we might not have new listing agreements signed but we are safe, alive and able to go home to our families.
Thank you Lee County Sheriff's Office for your assistance.
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