The Safest And Securest Ways To Sell Your Car For Cash

By Rebecca Smith


Selling a vehicle can take up a lot of time. It is also potentially dangerous unless you know what you're doing. When you go to a dealer and trade the auto for something new, it's up to the dealer to handle the transaction. If you do the selling yourself, all the responsibility falls on your shoulders. You can sell your car for cash safely, but you have to plan ahead.

Unless you live in a tiny community, where everybody knows everybody else, it's a good bet that some of the people interested in your ad about the vehicle will be strangers to you. When this is the case, you have to be very careful and take measures to ensure everyone's safety. Don't be caught alone with people you don't know.

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 get talked into taking a personal check unless you keep the title in your possession until that check clears the bank. Cashier's checks can also be risky. People can forge those just like they do with personal checks. Accepting cash only is the surest way to know you're getting paid. Taking a significant sum of money can be risky too though. If someone robs you, or you lose the money, you don't have any recourse.

You can ask the individual buying the vehicle to meet you at his bank to complete the transaction. That way you can take his personal check and turn around and get a legitimate cashier's check made out to you. You can deposit the cashier's check into your own account and have the funds available in a day or two. You should pay for the transaction fee because this is being done for your convenience.

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.

If meeting during normal business hours is a hardship for you or the buyer, you could open a small account at one of the banks located in a big box store or supermarket. These branches usually have extended hours. They are a good option because they're located in public places with their own security cameras.

An online escrow service can work if you are dealing with someone who lives out of town. The escrow service takes the payment, holds it until it clears, and disperses the funds. You get the money when the buyer gets the car.




About the Author: