A homeowner in Parkville, a suburb of Baltimore, opened her mail one day to find an unexpected check for $234,368.25 (£176,000) made out to her. It was not a lottery prize or a bank mistake. Instead, it was a tactic used by a potential buyer who wanted to purchase her home without putting it on the open market. That practice is now banned across Maryland under a state law that took effect on 1 October. The law targets an aggressive type of direct-mail marketing. It makes it illegal to send property owners negotiable financial instruments along with unsolicited offers to buy their homes. The legislation, called Senate Bill 582, was signed into law by Maryland Governor Wes Moore in April. Anyone who violates the ban can face a misdemeanor charge and a fine of up to $500 (£375).
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