SB 1739 - The act provides that a person shall not contact a property owner more than once per a calendar year with an unsolicited offer to buy the owner's real property. The unsolicited offer to buy real property shall include any communication, including a phone call, text message, email, mail, or fax. When a person contacts a property owner with an unsolicited offer to buy the owner's real property, before making the offer, the person shall provide the property owner with the person's legal name, address, phone number, and an email address. Communication between a person and a property owner shall not be considered an unsolicited offer to buy real property if such communication is part of an ongoing negotiation to buy real property, until the owner states that he or she does not wish to continue the negotiations, or, if the negotiations are occurring through text messages, the owner writes that he or she does not wish to continue negotiations. The Attorney General shall enforce the provisions of the act. Violations of the act may be reported to the Attorney General. Within 20 days of receiving a report for any violations of the act, the Attorney General shall send a written notice to the property owner that the Attorney General is conducting an investigation as to whether a violation occurred. After the investigation is completed, the Attorney General shall send a second written notice to the property owner describing the findings of the investigation. The second written notice shall also include information describing how the property owner may be placed on the no-call list. If the Attorney General believes that a violation occurred, the Attorney General shall commence a civil action. If the court finds that a violation occurred, the court may grant relief as described in the act. A civil penalty shall not exceed $2,000 per violation. JULIA SHEVELEVA

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Barbara Washington

SB 1739 regulates how parties can solicit property purchases in Missouri, establishing rules to protect homeowners from aggressive or deceptive real estate solicitation practices.

Second Read and Referred S General Laws Committee

Legislative bill overview

SB 1739 establishes regulations governing how solicitations to purchase real property can be conducted in Missouri. The bill creates new provisions that define acceptable practices and restrictions for parties seeking to buy residential or commercial property through direct solicitations. This addresses concerns about predatory or unsolicited offers to homeowners.

Why is this important

Real property solicitations—often called "we buy houses" campaigns—have become increasingly aggressive, targeting vulnerable populations including elderly homeowners, those facing foreclosure, or properties in distress. Clear legal frameworks protect property owners from deceptive practices while balancing legitimate real estate investment activities. These protections can prevent financial exploitation and ensure transparent transactions.

Potential points of contention

Definition scope: Unclear whether the bill covers all solicitation types (mail, phone, door-to-door, digital) or specific methods, which affects how broadly it applies

Real estate investor impact: Real estate investors and wholesalers may argue restrictions limit legitimate business practices and market access to discounted properties

Enforcement mechanism: The bill's success depends on clear enforcement provisions and penalties; without these, protections may be ineffective