How to Buy Real Estate on Craigslist

You can buy real estate on Craigslist, including co-ops, condos, houses, commercial sites, vacation homes and undeveloped land. Follow these steps.

Instructions

Find a Seller

1. Go to the Craigslist home page and select the city, state or country in which you would like to look for real estate (see Resources below).

2. Click on the "Real Estate for Sale" link to browse ads posted in your area.

3. Provide price and keyword information in the search dialog box to narrow your search.

Ask Questions

1. Find out more. Check local land records, property title records and other public sources of information about any listed property to ensure that it is really available.

2. Hire a lawyer who can help you ask the appropriate legal questions regarding residential, agricultural or commercial property.

3. Ask for references (professional and personal) from sellers who offer property, no matter how reputable they may seem.

4. Check with the Better Business Bureau for information on companies that offer real estate properties on Craigslist (see Resources below). Find out if they are indeed legitimate businesses, how long they've been around and search the history of complaints against them.

Buy Real Estate

1. Make an official offer through your bank or a mortgage lender. Never make a personal offer on real estate without professional assistance.

2. Bargain for a better price. You can almost always talk sellers into lowering their asking price, so don't be afraid to use your negotiation skills.

3. Finalize the purchase with the help of your bank or mortgage lender.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your personal information safe at all times. Don't volunteer your phone number or even your real name unless your are completely certain that a seller is legitimate.

• Ads that sound too good to be true often are. For examples of recent scams, check out Craigslist's scam information page (see Resources below).