Stupid property-rental question from foreign n00b (London: apartment, foreclosure)

[SWLondoner]

Hello hello. I live in London, England and am considering a year in LA. I'm 37 and married with a 2-year-old.

I've been looking on Craigslist at rental properties, and I want to know what the catch is with properties like this. The rent looks suspiciously dirt-cheap for a nice-looking house in a nice area.

Quaint Saint

There are a few like this: really low rent, really posh-looking house, all from the same agent. What's the catch? Are there already twenty people living there that they asked to stand to one side while they took the photo? Hidden charges? If anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it.

Thanks!

[BRinSM]

i've noticed those same ads. whomever is posting them seems to be concentrating them on the westside of town, especially near the ocean. they can't be real. you won't be able to find a nice 2br apartment for under $2,000, let alone a stand alone 3br house for under $1,500. i wouldn't even bother emailing the contact, a waste of time no doubt!

btw - 1,500 posts w00t!

[SWLondoner]

Thanks. No, I gathered as much from all the other Craigslist ads: I can tell what we'd have to pay for somewhere we'd like and it's wayyy above the rent in these weird ads.

I just wondered what the scam is that they've got going on: I'm always curious about things that are so blatantly dodgy. Maybe the house is a scale model and not actually big enough to get into. Maybe it's for cats.

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by SWLondoner

I just wondered what the scam is that they've got going on: I'm always curious about things that are so blatantly dodgy. Maybe the house is a scale model and not actually big enough to get into. Maybe it's for cats.

that is funny . you just made my day!

[kettlepot]

What they probably do is take a picture of some house that isn't theirs, and then accept "Deposits" from unwitting renters. Perhaps out-of-area renters such as yourself. Or, one other possibility is that these homes are in foreclosure. The "landlord" accepts first months rent and the deposit, the people move in, and then 3 or 7 days later, the bank gets wind of renters/trespassers, and they are booted out, while the person who took the rent money and deposit is long gone.

[Cubancoffee]

It's a scam. That's all you need to keep in mind. They're all over craigslist. Caveat emptor.

[mading6]

I could not see the ad, it did not work for me. But what I did notice is that there is a SCAM going on where someone posts a super nice apartment for really cheap or way below market value. The scam is that they want to work a weird deal out where you send them the money and they send you the keys.

I know it sounds obvious but some people have been cheated out of money. Some people actually purchased houses.