There is a host of ways that you can sell your RV. You can place ads in the local newspaper (a bit antiquated), you can place notes on bulletin boards around the town, you can place an ad on the Internet on one of the popular “for sale” sights, you can place it on a lot with a consignment RV dealer, or you call a professional RV buyer and let them pay for it and pick it up. If you are a seller that says “I want to sell my RV Online,” there are a few things that you should be aware of.
The majority of RV sales that occur via the Internet turn out to be legitimate transactions (although “selling by owner” does come along with several other hassles). However, there are Internet predators around every corner it seems, and great care should be taken when placing an ad to sell your motorhome. There are those who make a living scamming people who are selling large-ticket items online, attempting to get away with the item without actually providing legitimate funds for payment. There have even been extreme cases where criminals show up at homes with the intention of robbing the owner of the item or items for sale.
If you as the seller place an ad online, avoid using your full name and phone number. Use a service that maintains your anonymity, allowing the potential buyer to contact you only through the website. Once you and the potential buyer have corresponded via email, further information can be exchanged (with caution) as you see fit.
If a photograph of the motorhome for sale is included with the ad (and it should be), take care not to include your home or your house number in the shot. Predators can use your address to gain further information about you, which could further their scamming procedure.
Once you feel comfortable meeting the potential RV buyer, be sure to plan it in a safe environment. Security experts say to avoid meeting at your home if at all possible. One of the best places to show your motorhome to the buyer is right in the parking lot of the bank. In doing so you accomplish a couple of things. If the purchaser presents a check or money order, you can present it to the bank to verify the validity of the funds. Should the buyer present cash, you can deposit it right away so you are not left carrying so much money, just in case the buyer is working with a partner who is “waiting in the wings.”
One of the surest ways to avoid Internet scams when selling a motorhome is to choose to sell it to a professional RV buyer, like SellMyRVToday.com. With just one phone call you can tell them what you have for sale (2002 or newer) and let them make you a fair offer. Upon your acceptance of the offer, they will send a representative out anywhere in the continental U.S. or Canada to deliver certified funds and pick up the RV.
