You are correct, I'm confusing the fact that due to electronic check transmission I can see money leave my account almost instantly when I write a check with when I should expect a check to clear.That isn’t correct and that belief is what scammers who use check schemes rely on. Banks will often give its clients provisional credit for all or a portion of a deposited check before it has actually cleared. That is why the scams where the fraudster asks the victim to send back a portion of the check proceeds to the scammer work. The victim sends available provisional funds to the scammer and then the entire amount of the check is pulled back by the bank once the check is returned by the maker bank, leaving the victim out those funds.
To the OP, ask for a cashier’s check or wire transfer for payment (*and wait for the cashier's check to clear before handing the keys to a transporter).
I do wonder what some of you guys who think this is 100% a scam think a legitimate transaction with someone from out of state would look like? Mt guess is a lot like this one is playing out.
That said, if you varify the check has cleared through your bank, rather than just seeing money in your account, other than incorrect expectations it makes no difference. The key is too varify, not just wait a set amount of time.