So you received a text message offering to buy your house, and you’re wondering if it is a scam. Answering it is an unnecessary risk. There are two likely outcomes:

1. Potential Scam: The first involves scammers. If the text message is a scam, responding to it would only confirm to the scammer that your number is active, and you are someone who may engage with unsolicited messages. This could open you up to more scam attempts in the future. Scammers often use this type of engagement to extract personal information or money from their victims, sometimes through clickable links.

2. Little Reward: The second possibility is that the message is from a legitimate buyer. But even so, such a buyer who approaches you in this manner is unlikely to offer anywhere near the best price for your property. In real estate, the best offers usually come from competitive situations where interested buyers are aware of each other, such as open listings or auctions. The best case from, a direct, unsolicited offer is to secure the buyer a lower purchase price by avoiding competition.

You might also have read a recent article from ProPublica, about companies offering to buy houses, and the subsequent attempt to bury the reporting.