Experience with craigslist (San Diego: apartment, rentals, waterpark)

[killereagle09]

whats up guys , newbie here...First off im from brownsville, texas currently 19(m)..and wanna make the move to San Diego..As right now im planning everything, even thinking of making a trip out there pretty soon.. On craigslist (housing) theres rooms that can be shared buy owners of the home..I was wondering if you guys have had success with these ads on craigslist..I know most of these can be scams..So i just wanna know your guys take on this...

Im still thinking of moving into an apartment, but would rather share a room in a household with others..Plus i would be introduced into their social circle , since i wouldnt know anybody if living alone.


i currently have 2 jobs..i work at a waterpark and also work for west at home..Any input from you guys is great

[RD5050]

I would say ... go for it.

The best thing is, you're not committed to stay if the situation is not acceptable.

The leases tend to be month-to-month, so if you don't get along with the roommates, you can just find a different roommate situation, and move out.

And there are tons of roommate listings constantly available on Craigslist.

San Diego is a college town, so there are lots of college-aged students always looking to share the rent.

Also lots of home-owners looking to rent out spare rooms.

Just plan a list of questions to ask so you'll know exactly what you are getting into.

You'll want to know about things like total costs to you (rent, utilities, security deposit, etc), existing noise situations (problem neighbors, etc), lifestyle of roommates ( do any use drugs, excessive drinkers, smokers, etc), can you put a lock on your bedroom door (if you are concerned about your personal stuff), how long present roommates/home-owner have lived there and do they plan to vacate themselves any time soon.

So find out as much as you can up front, before you say yes and move in.

If you have lots of stuff to bring, consider renting a month-to-month public storage locker in San Diego and storing your stuff there until you are happy with your living situation.

[MsFancyPants]

That is all great advice.

One more thing, NEVER give anyone any "up front money." Even if they try to convince you that the place is sought after and you'll lose out. There are WAY too many of those situations that turn bad. Granted, there are some legit but not worth finding out the hard way.

And always make sure you set the time of the appt and go back more than once. There have been stories of people actually breaking into condos or houses and pretending to live there and show the place, collect the deposit, and you leave. Then you come back to move in and the real owner doesn't know what the heck you're talking about.

[RD5050]

Another important thing to question is the cleanliness of place.

Some roommates clean up after every meal, and others leave dirty dishes pile up in the sink for weeks at a time.

Some clean the shared bathrooms on a regular basis ... others don't.

Some take out the trash as needed ... others don't.

So find out what the policy for keeping the place clean is, if you are concerned about living in a clean home.

[killereagle09]

thanx for your help guys...all great answers..For some reason now Fancy Pants, everytime i look at the adds ..i wonder if someone actually broke into the house, took pics, and put a fake description..lol

[MsFancyPants]

LOL! Or if those pictures are even of the same place!

It makes me so mad that people take a great tool like Craigslist and scam on it. Grrrrrr!!!

[Oerdin]

Originally Posted by killereagle09

whats up guys , newbie here...First off im from brownsville, texas currently 19(m)..and wanna make the move to San Diego..As right now im planning everything, even thinking of making a trip out there pretty soon.. On craigslist (housing) theres rooms that can be shared buy owners of the home..I was wondering if you guys have had success with these ads on craigslist..I know most of these can be scams..So i just wanna know your guys take on this...

Im still thinking of moving into an apartment, but would rather share a room in a household with others..Plus i would be introduced into their social circle , since i wouldnt know anybody if living alone.


i currently have 2 jobs..i work at a waterpark and also work for west at home..Any input from you guys is great

In the past I've rented out spare rooms in my house via Craig's list. My recommendation would be to never rent a place sight unseen and never to front any money what so ever. Buyer beware and all that.

[sandiegogolfer]

Believe it or not a good place to find a room in a house to share is the Pennysaver.

You will find very good prices there also.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by killereagle09

whats up guys , newbie here...First off im from brownsville, texas currently 19(m)..and wanna make the move to San Diego..As right now im planning everything, even thinking of making a trip out there pretty soon.. On craigslist (housing) theres rooms that can be shared buy owners of the home..I was wondering if you guys have had success with these ads on craigslist..I know most of these can be scams..So i just wanna know your guys take on this...

Im still thinking of moving into an apartment, but would rather share a room in a household with others..Plus i would be introduced into their social circle , since i wouldnt know anybody if living alone.


i currently have 2 jobs..i work at a waterpark and also work for west at home..Any input from you guys is great

First of all, having 2 jobs in Brownsville is different than getting even one in San Diego, but do make the trip. As for Craigslist, my experience, most of it is scam, but not all. Yes, you can get a single room in someones home, doesn't mean you will have anything in common with the owners.

NIta

[NYSD1995]

Craigslist has become increasingly scammy as it's popularity has increased so you have to be much, much more careful than in years past. That said it's still the place to go for things like rentals and roomates.

Unfortunately the people who run Craigslist are a bit out-to-lunch and believe that their "community" (which also includes pedophiles, rapists, murderers, and scam artists) can effectively police the site.