請負業者から現金購入者に至るまで、ドアノッカーが洪水で荒廃した地域社会に総力を挙げて出動しています。専門家は、自分が何に署名しているのかを必ず確認するようにと言っています
ST.フロリダ州ピーターズバーグ — 2 つのハリケーンがタンパ湾地域の近隣地域に壊滅的な被害をもたらした後、地元の住宅の周囲には同様の光景が広がっています。
瓦礫は屋外に山積みになっており、トラックに乗った清掃員や建設作業員らが道路を取り囲んでいる。 大きな被害を受けた地域の住宅所有者の間には、そろそろ脱出する時期が来たのではないかという感情もあり、厳しい状況を利用しようとする人々にとっては機が熟している。
関連：ハリケーン「ミルトン」と「ヘレン」の保険請求で住民を支援する「保険村」がオープン
「私たちには4本の足がありました [of water inside our home} but again, we know the drill, and we know what the neighborhood needs,” says Courtney Stein. Stein and her husband’s Riviera Bay home was flooded out. Now gutted, it serves a bigger purpose in the community.
The home is a “command center,” as she calls it, packed to the brim with donated food, water, cleaning supplies, clothing, diapers and more, ready to be given out to anyone in need.
“We just wanted to help the neighborhood. I felt like we were a little less frazzled than some, just because we we’ve been there,” added Stein, who noted their home flooded after Hurricane Idalia in 2023.
The realtor by trade is also helping her community in other ways. In the past week she’s met with hundreds of their neighbors, who may not be as familiar with the post-storm process, including on how to deal with a flood of doorknockers.
From public adjustors to contractors, even real estate short-sale buyers, they’ve seen it all in their St. Petersburg neighborhood.
“A lot of these people are scammers. Some of them are legitimate, but there’s a lot of scammers out there that are taking advantage of these people,” says Stein, who’s most concerned about the seniors in her area.
She’s been reminding homeowners to check for valid licenses and insurance for any contractor stopping by, to make sure an adjustor at their home was sent by their insurer, and to not sign anything they’re unsure about.
One thing she’s especially concerned with is folks coming to offer cash for homes in any condition.
“They’re trying to get bottom dollar, pennies on the dollar for your home. And, you know, their goal is to pay the least amount, and they don’t have your best interest in mind,” said Stein, who adds sale contracts are binding.
“I think it definitely is worth it for someone to have representation, or at least talk to a professional, someone that specializes in the industry and get a home valuation from them [before you act]」とスタイン氏は説明した。
壊滅的な被害から立ち直るには村が必要であり、スタイン氏は村に情報を確実に伝えているほか、ジミー・パトロニス最高財務責任者（CFO）のような州当局者も「何も署名しないでください」と明言している。
過去 10 日以内に請負業者と何か契約を結んだ場合は、その契約から抜け出す方法があるかもしれません。州にはさらに多くのヒントや役立つ情報があり、ここで参照できます。
#立て続けのハリケーンを受けて専門家が詐欺師に警告