Real Estate Fraud Attorney Serving Clients Across the Nation

Have you been accused of real estate fraud? Like many ‘white-collar’ crimes, though the victim may not be left physically harmed by the accused crime, California law takes these accusations very seriously. Real estate transactions are among the most costly and important sales and purchases that any of us will ever make. Though criminal offenses during these transactions may be rare and are often the result of a miscommunication, they all come with the potential for serious financial hardship and could result in aggressive litigation.

Federal defense lawyer Diane C. Bass has extensive experience representing clients nationwide who have been accused of the crime of real estate fraud. Whether you are the buyer, seller, or lender, you have the right to legal representation.

Real estate laws keep changing in California and nationwide. While those changes were enacted to help the market, they have inevitably left brokers, realtors, homeowners, appraisers, builders, contractors, and first-time buyers and sellers scrambling to keep up. Sometimes, this results in confusion or harsh accusations. Whatever the case may be, it is important that you begin to build your defense as soon as possible. With the help of lawyer Diane C. Bass, it may be possible to craft a winning defense, clear your name, and walk away from the fraud case no worse for wear.

What is Real Estate Fraud?

Put simply, real estate fraud is a crime that occurs in a real estate transaction wherein one party misrepresents themselves, their finances, or the property involved in the sale. Real estate fraud cases often involve multiple charges, including forgery and grand theft. While one party takes a hit financially, the other walks away enriched by the transaction, potentially by fraudulent means.

For fraud charges to hold any weight in a courtroom, the victim must prove that they took a loss in the transaction as a result of the other party’s misrepresentation. To prove their case, they must establish that the accused purposely intended to defraud them by omitting or misstating important information for the real estate transaction.

What Are Different Examples of Real Estate Fraud Cases?

There are numerous types of real estate fraud, felony, and misdemeanor charges that exist, including foreclosure fraud, title transfer fraud, identity theft, straw buying, house flipping crimes, stolen property, forgery, predatory lending, and rent skimming.

Real estate fraud accusations can occur as a result of:

• Buyers could provide false information regarding their credit score, such as saying their credit is much higher than it is in actuality.
• Buyers may attempt to sell real estate which they do not own.
• Failure to reveal the known existence of mold, cracks, and other damages on property.
• Misrepresenting actual value of real property to the sellers.
• Misrepresenting how much a buyer owes to their creditors.
• Providing fake paycheck stubs.
• Sellers may not disclose important information regarding property damage.
• Stolen identity used in the purchase of real property.

What Consequences and Defenses Exist?

Grand theft laws are written as such that the accused could be charged with a misdemeanor or a felony crime. Because of the substantial amounts of money changing hands in real estate transactions, prosecutors tend to pursue felony charges. If convicted of felony real estate fraud, the white-collar criminal could face up to three years in state prison, thousands of dollars in fines, and probation. Additional crimes could result in enhanced sentencing.

Real estate law can be complex, and the consequences for criminal charges are severe. To better ensure your personal freedom and save your reputation, it is recommended that you speak with a criminal defense attorney.

Together, you and your lawyer can build a strong legal defense to show that you had no actual intentions of misleading the other party in the transaction and that you believed you were being truthful in the information you provided. Your defense attorney may also seek to show that the supposed victim made false accusations.