Need some opinions on this transaction I am going through

[-RockMan-]

Last tuesday morning a guy had called me up, asking about my ad in the newspaper that I put in for 2 laptops for sale.
I told him I ran that ad in the middle of christmas time in the sale was dead.
He asked me if I still had them and I said yes, he wants to buy a toshiba laptop that is fully functional and ready to go for his side job business around georgia.
I told him the laptop is going for 150.00 with optional hardware if he needed it.
He gets very excited and says he wants to make a down payment of 75.00 and pick up the laptop next monday and pay the rest within a week.
I told the guy point blank I already got screwed over by 2 people last fall in september and they didn't make the full payments.
I said to him if you want the laptop either pay the full amount or come by the house and and pay the 75.00 and I will hold it until the rest of the payment is received and I would atleast come by his job and drop it off.
He said he was in a money jam and said maybe, but I don't want to give you the money and have no laptop...

Pretty much in this transaction is a matter of trust, mostly I don't trust him because he is in a money situation.
I talked to my mother about this and she had me get a old contract I did right before winter and revise it.
If you guys would like to look at it download here: Blank contract.doc

I emailed him the contract and I made it very clear on the contract of terms that we are both agreeing to.
He signed it and wants the other laptop which still needs a new hdd for a grand total of 300.00 ?
Please advise me a little bit of what to watch out for with this guy.

Also leave this in the offtopic forum, I find it might be suited better here for all people to read.

 

[Trotter]

Unless I personally knew AND TRUSTED the dude, there is no way the laptop would leave my hand without the full payment in my other one. Call me pessimistic, but past experience has taught me to be like that. It doesn't matter how sad the story and how big the promises as talk is cheap and is only worth the paper it is printed on (nothing).

 

[-RockMan-]

Unless I personally knew AND TRUSTED the dude, there is no way the laptop would leave my hand without the full payment in my other one. Call me pessimistic, but past experience has taught me to be like that. It doesn't matter how sad the story and how big the promises as talk is cheap and is only worth the paper it is printed on (nothing).

Thanks trotter for your input I pretty much had a few days to think it thrrough clearly.
I told him last night what did he think of the contract and the payment terms, he realized that geninuely he's dealing with a kind person who is trying to get rid of something but not a idiot to just hand him something for half price and wait for the other half without the item in my possesion.

I know where he works and lives at and know 2 of his bosses, so he won't get far if he tries something bold and stupid on me.

Also he says he is buying a used car and he will get the money in "FULL" to me next week.
On a side note while looking for a job I am doing a tiny side job with tutorial's on computers or small to medium size repairs on computers.
From november up till now I have had about 20 people contact me and they are pretty much thrilled with the low costs that I offer.
Yes I am in the process of talking to my city about a small license for what I am doing so need to worry about that.

 

[wafflehammer]

Yea, unless he pays in full or gives you half and doesn't get the laptop till you get the other half(basically both ways you getting full money before he gets it) I wouldn't touch the deal. 9/10 people will probably screw you over...and $300 probably isn't worth all the court fees to take it to court (unless you just wanna be an *** back for principal lol..i would lol)

 

[Fat.Clown]

if you let him take the laptop away with $75 down payment, you'll never see him again.

or ask for a collateral (something like his house deed would work )

 

[-RockMan-]

Thank you all for your input!
I'm not trying get all warm and fuzzy like my mothers old dell gets, but from being here for the past 5 1/2 years and reading the advice most veterans and semi normal people here, I wouldn't be as highly knowleagable about pc's as I am right now.

I may have good knowledge from college, mentors and previous jobs and came here pretty rattled about quite a few things.
I mostly owe it all to you for the help and to mak from preventioned of being banned from here.

 

[Kharn]

I wouldn't let it go for half the cost and a promise, I would want the whole amount up front and some form of address and a signed receipt of sale.

 

[philbar71]

You could let him give you like $10 to hold the laptop, then when he gets the full amount he can pay you and take it.