How To Sell Your Car For Cash Safely And Securely

By Rebecca Smith


Selling your vehicle can be time consuming. It can also be dangerous unless you are very careful. If you're trading the auto in for a newer model, the details of any transaction will be the primary responsibility of the dealer. If you've decided to sell your car for cash, all the responsibility will be on your shoulders.

You're probably going to be dealing with some strangers when you advertise the auto for sale. That is unless the community you live in is so small everyone knows everyone. When you're dealing with people you don't know it's important to be careful and take precautions to make sure you are safe.

A potential buyer will want to test drive the vehicle before committing to the purchase. This is fine as long as you have a copy of his driver's license before he sets off. You need a legal bill of sale ready that includes all the pertinent information. In the bill of sale it must say you are selling the car as is, where is.

Don't take a personal check unless you hold the title to the vehicle until the check clears. There are fraudulent cashier's checks out there, so you have to be careful if you decide to take one. Cash is the easiest way to ensure you're really getting paid for the auto you're selling, but taking money comes with its own set of problems. If you are robbed you will be out of luck unless you take some protective measures.

One option is to meet the purchaser at the bank where he does business in order to exchange the funds and the paperwork. Here it's alright to take the buyer's personal check because you can exchange it for a cashier's check made payable to you. That check can be deposited in your bank account where the funds will be available to you within twenty-four or forty-eight hours.

You might request that the buyer meet you where you bank with the cash in hand. That money can be deposited directly into your account. You need to have all the paperwork ready to turn over at that time. For safety's sake you probably need to ask a bank officer if you can use a private room, away from prying eyes, where you and the buyer can exchange the papers and the money. Most bank officials are happy to let you use a conference room or an out of the way desk that gives you privacy.

Both of these options can be inconvenient for you as the seller, and the buyer, because the transaction has to take place during regular business hours. You can overcome this obstacle by opening a small account at a bank branch in a local supermarket or big box store. These branches usually have extended hours, and are good options because they're in public places and have security cameras.

An online escrow service is another option. These work especially well if someone from out of town is buying the vehicle. This service accepts payment, waits until it clears, and then disperses the funds. Once the buyer accepts the vehicle you get the money.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment