Sometimes real estate is a dangerous place to be working. Please see the most recent warning posted by our local NWMLS regarding a person who has been a cause for concern for a few years now. I’ve had phone calls in the past from police agencies in other states about this same person in between his time here as he does the same tactic of trying to draw out female agents to vacant properties.
Update: December 20, 2010. NWMLS has received information that Christopher Heath has been contacting real estate licensees in the Greater Seattle Area. Please use caution and contact the police if you are contacted by this person.
February 26, 2008. NWMLS has received information that Christopher Heath has contacted an agent in the VANCOUVER, WA area.
February 7, 2008. NWMLS received further information about Christopher Heath. CLICK HERE for the Sheriff’s Notice.
February 6, 2008. NWMLS has recently received reports of potential dangerous situations regarding a man attempting to lure women agents to homes.
A man named Christopher Heath (from Vermont) is trying to get female agents out to vacant properties. Most of the properties he is interested in are vacant and secluded. He has been arranging to meet with several agents in the area (Duvall, Monroe, Kent).
Heath claims to be relocating here to work at the Fire Academy in North Bend. He claims to be a widower, retired firefighter, cash buyer searching for rural setting with room and privacy for the 2 search-and-rescue dogs he has for his job here with the Seattle Fire Department.
He originally was looking for a house priced between $400,000 and $600,000. He later changed the price to a million, saying it was going to be a cash deal and that the money would be wired from Merrill Lynch.
He indicated that he is being referred by someone at his church.
One agent was feeling uncomfortable with the situation and began a background check. The Fire Academy has never heard of him. He had called from a New York phone number so she did a reverse search — it was a doctor’s cell phone # — when she called the number the next day it had been cancelled.
A 2nd agent called the number she had been given in Vermont and spoke to his ex-wife (he claimed to be a widower). She said there are about 10 different female real estate agents leaving him messages and she found many Seattle area agents on his home computer. According to her, he was in the middle of taking out a home equity loan on her home; she just happened to be home and saw the appraiser measuring her home ”“ a 30-acre horse ranch in Vermont.
Another agent arranged to meet with him today (February 6). She told him by voice mail and email that they would be meeting at her office to introduce themselves in person and to go over their tour and initial real estate paper work. She told him it was their company policy to meet new clients at their office, introduce them to their office manager and to make a copy of their driver’s license. She has not heard from him since.
His ex-wife believes he is now in New York heading to Washington.
The situation has been reported to the police.
Please be careful! If this man contacts you, contact your local authority.
