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I just want to warn anyone who is willing to secure a rental with a payment without seeing the place. Someone just attempted to scam me because I put a want ad on craigslist, sublet.com etc. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
Here is the email I received this afternoon;
Quote:
My name is Sharon Anderson, I'm 40 years old and I'm the owner of this apartment. I lived in this beautiful apartment for over 2 years and loved every day of it.The apartment is fully furnished (exactly like in the pics), with all necessary amenities.
The unit is equipped with recessed lighting, central air and heat... the apartment comes with two parking spots, a storage unit where you can deposit my furniture (if you don't like it and you want use your furniture). There is also a linen closet, and most importantly, a new front loading stacked washer and drier.
Well behaved Pets allowed. I've moved to United Kingdom with my job and decided to rent it because the rent is very expensive here. The price is so low because I'm here and is very hard to find a tenant. I'm asking only $800.00/month with all utilities included because I need a serious and trustworthy person who not only will pay me the rent on time but also will take care and preserve my property. I was looking to rent the apartment for at least six months, but I'm flexible, so please let me know your thoughts.
The monthly rent is not negotiable, if you can pay the 3 months in advance (!!!) it will be considered as 4 month's rent (ah, already cheap and another discount, too!). If you don't have the amount available for 3 months, the monthly rent for the apartment is US $800.00. First month's advance, $800.00 deposit. Looking for someone to rent anywhere from 3 months to 5 years...
I want to receive the money monthly in my Bank Account via PayPal. If you don't have a PayPal account or if you have something better in mind, let me know. The rent is for the whole apartment NOT just a shared room. This is not a sublease, etc.
You can move in the apartment in the same day when you receive the keys. The only problem is that I`m the only person who has the keys and I have nobody in United States that could show you the condo (she has an awesome condo but cannot afford an agent?). In order to check it, see if you like it (and I'm sure that you'll love it), you need to receive the keys and the contract.
Obviously we need a way to complete this deal in a safe and fast way for both parties. The solution is provided by a company called Move
which will handle the payment and delivery of the Keys. A friend of mine moved here from California and used the company to resolve the same problem.
If you want to know more about how this deal can work please get back to me ASAP and I will send you the details step by step.
Let me know if you are interested because I really need to take care of this matter by the end of the next week.
I hope you are a serious person. I am looking for someone serious and responsible, please tell tell me about yourself, about the people who will be living in the apartment and a little about your credit. (I can just say I have excellent credit?)
Let me know if you have received the photos of the apartment bellow.
ok first of all, why this woman telling me she's a 40 years old, who cares if she is single or widowed or swinger, landlords might want that info from tenants but not the other way around.
If someone replied to your ad with too much info about their situation, it's a a red flag. Landlords will not tell you it's difficult to find tenants, they will tell you their property will not last long in the market.
If you can, check the location via google street view. This "lady" (or a bunch of scammers behind a computer in some internet cafe) put an address of a luxury condo located very central, yet they failed to tell me how close it is to the shops, beach or businesses.
I would have fallen for this scam, if the rent, say, 800 a week, not that I can afford it, but that's how the average prices for decent furnished 2BR vacation rentals in desirable locations.
I've been corresponding with a realtor back and fort for a very nice condo, and seems like the owner is willing to drop the rent price by $100/mo. However I cannot bring myself to secure it before seeing it in person! I mean it's a lot of money to pay for the deposit and I don't want to get stuck for the next 3 years if it turns out not as I expected. I don't know what to do. I don't think they will wait 3 months until I get there, and it's not possible for me to just fly over and 'take a look'. I'm not Magnum PI.
I've been corresponding with a realtor back and fort for a very nice condo, and seems like the owner is willing to drop the rent price by $100/mo. However I cannot bring myself to secure it before seeing it in person! I mean it's a lot of money to pay for the deposit and I don't want to get stuck for the next 3 years if it turns out not as I expected. I don't know what to do. I don't think they will wait 3 months until I get there, and it's not possible for me to just fly over and 'take a look'. I'm not Magnum PI.
*sniff*
3 Years? For a rental?
Where are you looking? Is there at least google street view available for the address? Can you contact the building management and ask them to check it out? Do you know anyone that can see it in person for you?
Yes I did, it is on 427 Launiu St., Honolulu, HI. The realtor sent for floor plan and additional pictures, but I don't know anyone locally. When I was looking for apartment in Miami, I had a friend living here actually filmed the viewing from all the apartments and sent them to me. Turned out my dream apartment from the ad is not as perfect as I thought, and the one on the bottom of my list was actually my dream home. Pictures are good first impression but not speaking much to me.
Oh about 3 years, that's how long we plan to stay, maybe less.
Don't sign a 3 year lease!
Rent a fully furnished vacation rental in an area that you think you want to live in. Rent for 1-2 months.
When you arrive, start checking out the area as well as other areas that may fit your needs. This way, you are not locked into an area or apartment/house that you end up not liking.
That address is right in Waikiki. Everyone I know who moves there when they arrive moves out within a few months, FWIW. You shouldn't feel like you can't move once you get here. Ask for a 6-month lease and then see. If it turns out the place isn't great, you're not committed for too long. If you do like it, you can sign a longer lease the second time around.
it's true.. I won't lock myself with 3 years lease, but what I meant, if I secured the place now means I *must* live there for one year or I lose the deposit. And you're right it will be best for me to be in town to look at the location before I blindly sign a contract. Who knows a trumpet player is living next door and practicing all day long.
I just feel like in the rush to benefit from the rent dropping or else I have to pay *retail* price LOL
Rents will continue to drop throughout 2010 in Honolulu. Just this week was an article in one of the Honolulu newspapers about foreclosures and how they were expecting Honolulu was still at the beginning stage compared to the mainland. Waiting is in your favor.
That address is right in Waikiki. Everyone I know who moves there when they arrive moves out within a few months, FWIW. You shouldn't feel like you can't move once you get here. Ask for a 6-month lease and then see. If it turns out the place isn't great, you're not committed for too long. If you do like it, you can sign a longer lease the second time around.
he he ... yes I know I can move out but it will cost us, and I want to avoid that. We have relocation benefits, but the move within Hawaii will not be covered. Besides, where's the fun in packing and unpacking ..
PS. Why did they move? I thought Waikiki is fun?
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