Sold RV online but can't find title

[EmmaGrace]

What is the name of your state? Ohio

We sold our RV on eBay today and the buyer is picking it up tomorrow. They live out of state and are going to take it with them on vacation Monday morning. They sent me the deposit via PAYPAL and are bringing the balance in cash tomorrow when they pick it up.

We don't have the actual title to the RV, we can get it on Monday, but they will already be gone by then. Can we just sign the title over to them & mail it to them to get it titled in their name?

I printed up a "bill of sale" that basically has our names, the buyers name, our addresses, how much we sold it for (how much they paid for it) and the date of sale. Is there anything else they would need? Also, do we just leave our license tags on the RV until they register it? I don't know how they would get it home (or on their trip) without tags and the BMV is not open on the weekends so we could do all of this before they go.

Also, we still owe a little money on the RV, which we will pay off in full when we pick up the title at the bank. Is that going to be a pain too? Do they actually keep the titles there, or are they going to have to mail it to us, then us mail it to the buyers?

We would have called an attorney, the bank or the BMV about this, but all of them are closed until Monday morning.

BTW, I checked out the buyers the best that I could given the circumstances, and they don't seem concerned at all that we don't have the title, so this must be a common situation (just not to us).

Thanks for any input.

 

[klhofbauer]

Emma,

I would not under ANY circumstance allow the buyers to take the title until the check for the RV clears the bank.

AND, I would wait at LEAST 30 days before I think about sending them the title.

Do you know these people personally? How do you know they have INSURANCE on the RV? What happens if there is an accident? What happens if the check they give you is bogus? Oh - and what about the license plate? Are they going to drive off with that too??

YOU LOSE! AND, then you no longer have the title.

Simple.. give them the bill of sale. Take their DRIVERS LICENSE to the local copier place and MAKE A COPY of the DL. If they get all pissy about it, tell them you apologize, but having been the victim of a scam before, you wish to be extremely cautious about any transaction now. (so what if it is a white lie, at least you let them know).

Monday morning, take the check to the bank, do not even THINK of paying off the loan for the RV UNTIL the bank has cleared the check from the BUYERS bank. Wait a MINIMAL of 14 days - preferrably 30.

Why am I telling you all of this?

We sold our truck last December, the young man came from California to Arizona to buy it. We held the title until the bank cleared his loan draft. It was a lot of money, we needed the funds at the time - but, with so many scams out there, in hindsight, I am soooo glad that our bank made us wait 30 days. The check cleared, the guy got the title, and everything went smoothly.

Please at least think about taking my advice! I would hate to see you come back to this forum in 30 days and find out that something went wrong. It is much better to be safe and patient.. than to be scammed and out of your RV and your money.

KimberlyH

 

[EmmaGrace]

They paid cash, which was a requirement of my auction, so waiting for the check to clear was not an issue.

We paid off the lien, have the "lien cancelled" on the title and are ready to send it.

They did take our plates with them, they couldn't drive it without plates, but if anything happened, we have a copy of the bill of sale showing that they purchased it. And with the bill of sale, they would be covered under their own insurance for 30 days (like when you buy a car on the weekend but don't call your agent until Monday).

Thanks!

 

[ablessin]

You need the plates though to cancel the insurance.

Are they going to mail the plates back to you?

At least that is how it is with a car....... you take the plates to DMV, they give you a receipt and then you go to your insurance with that receipt and then they will cancel the insurance coverage.