Your Action Plan
This guide is written for people with no legal background who are stuck in a predatory subject-to or wholesaling situation. Every step is explained in plain language. Every link goes directly to the right place. You do not need a lawyer to start — but you do need to start.
Do This First — Before Anything Else
Before you file a single complaint, before you call a lawyer, before you do anything else — you need a paper trail. Courts and regulators reward the party with documentation. Start today.
Screenshot everything. Forward emails to a personal account you control. Back up texts to your computer or cloud storage today — before anything changes.
Pull out every piece of paper — purchase contract, payment agreement, addenda, anything. If you signed it, find it. If you can't find it, request a copy immediately in writing.
Bank statements showing every payment you made. Dates, amounts, method. Build a simple spreadsheet: what was due, what was paid, when. The gap tells the story.
Get current statements from your lender. Check whether your mortgage is being paid on time. If payments are late or missing, request a formal payment history in writing immediately.
Go to your county recorder's website. Search your property address. Look for any lis pendens, liens, or instruments recorded against your title that you did not authorize.
Go to your state's Secretary of State website. Search the LLC name. When was it formed? Who is the registered agent? Does it have any history? Newly formed entities with no track record are a red flag.
Nevada — State Agencies
"[Name] approached me as a homeowner in distress and negotiated the purchase of my property at [address] without holding a Nevada real estate license. They used a subject-to structure that placed my mortgage at risk while they controlled the property. I am requesting an investigation into whether this activity constitutes unlicensed brokerage under NRS Chapter 645."
"I am filing a complaint under NRS Chapter 598 regarding deceptive trade practices by [name/entity] in connection with the subject-to purchase of my home at [address]. The operator made materially false representations about their ability to perform, their financing capacity, and their intent to assume my mortgage obligations."
If the operator started construction, repairs, or modifications on your property before or after taking possession — without a license — this is your agency.
"[Name] performed construction work at my property at [address] without a Nevada contractor's license and without obtaining the required permits. Specifically, [describe the work]. I am requesting an investigation under NRS Chapter 624."
If opposing counsel filed documents they knew were false, timed filings to cause maximum damage, or used recorded instruments as pressure tools rather than legitimate legal process — this matters.
"I am filing a complaint against [attorney name], Nevada Bar No. [number], for conduct I believe violates the Nevada Rules of Professional Conduct. Specifically, [attorney] certified pleadings under NRCP 11 that were directly contradicted by documents attached to those same pleadings, and recorded a lis pendens containing materially false statements timed to interfere with a pending third-party sale."
Federal Agencies
If you have a documented disability, if the operator knew about your disability and used your situation against you, or if you were targeted because of a protected characteristic — HUD is the right agency.
"I am filing a Fair Housing complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 3617. I am a person with a disability. [Operator name] had actual knowledge of my condition and engaged in a course of conduct — including [specific acts] — that interfered with my federally protected right to sell my home. Their conduct was structured in a way that disproportionately affected me because of my disability."
The FTC investigates patterns, not individual cases. Your report contributes to a database that can trigger investigations when enough victims report the same operator.
If There's a Lis Pendens on Your Property
A lis pendens recorded without legal basis is one of the most damaging tools a predatory operator can use. It blocks your sale, clouds your title, and can sit there indefinitely if you don't act. Here is exactly what to do.
Go to your county recorder's website. Search your property address or APN (Assessor's Parcel Number). Download the recorded instrument. Read it carefully — specifically what legal action it claims to be tied to and what relief it claims is being sought.
The lis pendens should reference a court case. Go to that court's public docket and pull the actual complaint. Read what legal claims are actually asserted. If the lis pendens says the case involves "partition" but the complaint contains no partition claim — that is a material false statement in a recorded instrument. That is slander of title.
Under NRS 14.015, you can move the court to expunge (remove) a lis pendens. You must show that the party who filed it cannot establish a probable likelihood of prevailing on a claim that would affect title or possession. If the underlying case has no valid property claim, expungement is mandatory — the statute says the court "shall order cancellation."
If you have a pending sale that will fall through because of the lis pendens, you can request that the court hear the expungement motion on an expedited basis due to ongoing irreparable harm. Document the sale contract, the closing date, and the title company's written confirmation that they cannot insure the transaction while the lis pendens is recorded.
If the lis pendens contained false statements and caused you to lose a sale or suffer financial harm, you have a slander of title claim. Damages include the full value of the killed transaction, carrying costs incurred while the cloud remained, and attorneys' fees. This is a separate civil action you can bring even after the lis pendens is removed.
Filing Without a Lawyer
You do not need an attorney to file a complaint, a motion, or even a lawsuit. Nevada courts allow self-represented litigants and have resources specifically built to help. Here is where to start.
Create a free account to file documents electronically in Clark County District Court. This is how you file motions, responses, and complaints as a self-represented party.
Free assistance for self-represented litigants at the Regional Justice Center. Staff can help you understand court procedures, find the right forms, and navigate the filing process.
Plain language legal information for Nevada residents. Guides on landlord-tenant, housing, and consumer issues. Some free consultations available for qualifying individuals.
If you want legal representation, the State Bar's lawyer referral service connects you with attorneys who handle real estate, consumer fraud, and civil rights cases. Many offer free initial consultations.
If your claims include federal causes of action — Fair Housing Act, FDCPA, RICO — you can file in U.S. District Court as a pro se litigant. PACER gives you access to federal dockets and filings.
The federal courts publish guides specifically for self-represented litigants. Covers how to file, what format to use, how service works, and what to expect at hearings.
Set Realistic Expectations
Regulatory complaints are not instant. Courts move slowly. But filing creates a record, applies pressure, and opens doors that staying quiet closes. Here is the honest picture.