A Sparks couple is just a step away from being homeless, after they say they were "ripped off" by their landlord.

Shanna Mayer and Clinton Conroy leased a home in hopes of buying it...but it turns out, the bank was already a step ahead.

Believe it or not, this is a common problem these days. According to Realty Trac, an estimated one in 75 homes in Nevada are in some form of foreclosure. For renters and buyers, these statistics can be dangerous.

Mayer and Conroy moved their family to Sparks in June. When they signed a lease, with an option to buy contract on a Wingfield Springs home, they thought the deal was too good to be true.

"Then we came back here and signed a lease agreement and everything. He shook our hands and said 'congratulations on the purchase of your new home," said Mayer.

But nearly $15,000 dollars later in down payment fees and rent, Mayer says she received a foreclosure notice on the doorstep of her dream house. That's when she confronted the homeowner.

"And he said, 'it's not your business.' And I said 'until you prove otherwise, I am not going to give you any more money," said Mayer.

Their case is now tied up in court but Mayer says, she just wishes she'd been a little smarter.

Washoe County Recorder Kathy Burke says Mayer is not alone. The economic downturn has made home foreclosures more commonplace than ever.

"The volume is higher on notices of default. I began in Washoe County in 1985. Of course, back then we didn't see the number of defaults we're seeing now," said Burke.

Luckily, there is a place you can go to find out the status and history of your home, before you buy it. The county records library has public information about everything from cattle branding and divorces, dating back to the late 1800's...all the way to records on home foreclosures, updated in real time.

"If you're buying from a sale, like the ones on the courthouse steps, absolutely, you need to do your own homework on that piece of propert," said Burke.

When we looked up Mayer's home, it turns out, the seller is headed to foreclosure on Mayer's home, plus 16 other properties he owns in the Reno-Sparks area. Unfortunately for Mayer, it may be too late. Nevada laws do very little to protect renters and buyers from sellers who are in default.

"There's no guarantee we'll get anything back. We're in a mess because of him," said Mayer.

It's very easy to look up information about a home you are interested in buying or leasing. You can head to the Washoe County complex on Ninth Street and use the computers there...or you can even do it from home by logging onto: www.washoecounty.us/recorder.

An attorney with Washoe Legal Services tells us there is no specific law in Nevada that prohibits a homeowner in foreclosure from renting their property out...after all, it's still their property.

He says due to the increase in foreclosed homes, real estate lobbyists are hoping to bring a bill to the legislature next year that will help protect tenants and buyers.