One house, three quick sales, one familiar link
In late 2005, Barbara and Gregory Klein agreed to sell their St. Petersburg home for $535, 000 to a man who had seen their “For Sale By Owner” sign.
But when the Kleins sat down to complete the deal, their copy of the closing statement showed a different buyer – and a sale price of $599,000. In less than a year, the house changed hands twice again, each time at a price $50, 000 higher than the previous one despite the sluggish market.
All three transactions involved Victor Clavizzao, a loan officer whose suspicious real estate deals and lengthy criminal record were the subject of a St. Petersburg Times story April 29. After the story ran, the Kleins were among several readers who contacted the paper to share their experiences with Clavizzao.