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I've warned about this in the past on other threads, but a recent spate of rental scams on Craigslist prompts me to give this subject top billing.
In the last 4 days I've heard personal stories from 3 Realtors here with similar experiences. Some one or more scammers (I'd use a more accurate description for them , but this is a G-rated forum), are taking currently for sale listings, copying them (including photos) and then posting them as rentals on Craigslist.
These Realtors have received calls from people who have seen these "rentals", and were able to correct the issue, but had they not gotten the calls, they never would have known. We've advised Realtors to go on Craigslist and look to see if any of their listings show up as rentals. We've also advised them to set up Google Alerts. The way this scam has worked in the past, is that the scammer pretends to be the owner who lives in another state and says something like "yes it's for sale, but if I can rent it first then I'll take it off the market.
Just send me a deposit and first month's rent and it's yours."
Anyone replying to ANY ad on Craig's List - or for that matter any other internet site - needs to be aware of the potential for being scammed! Police departments are continually warning the public about doing business with someone who you know nothing about, regardless what is being advertised. Unfortunately, there is "a sucker born every minute" as the saying goes.
My wife and I saw an ad on Craigslist over in Dodge City, KS, last year about this time. We were looking for a house to rent and I saw a large brick home renting for only $850 a month. The ad listed the address and we knew of the avenue the house was on, so we drove over to take a look. The exact house was there as it was in the ad, there was a sign in the yard with a company name on it and phone number. I called it right up and asked about it.
"Hey, I saw an ad in Craigslist...blah - blah - blah...is that price for real or is it a scam?"
"Uhh, that would be a scam. My partner and I are renting out that house, but we want $1,300 a month for it."
Then the guy asked what it is we are looking for - we didn't need a house that large nor did we want to pay over $1,000 a month, we didn't even want ta pay over $800 a month for a rental home. I told him that we were looking for a home ta rent that is in the $600 ta $800 a month range, 1-2-3 bedrooms all would work well for us. The house would need a fenced yard for our two dogs. I also told him we have two cats.
"I've got one we're cleaning up, give us a week or so ta clean it up, and we'll meet there and you can take a look at it. It's going to rent for $750 a month and it's a 3 BR home, it also has a detached 3-car garage you can use along with the home. And it has a fenced front yard for your dogs. I know, I love dogs, too!"
"I'm interested!" And the rest is history regarding the only house we rented in Dodge City, KS. So a scam on Craigslist actually led to us getting a suitable house to rent! Common sense played heavily in to this matter, yes it did.
I am surprised that a tenant would rent a house without seeing the inside of the house, but it must be happening, given the large number of these scams on Craigslist.
The rental market is so tight here that folks from out of town who want a place as soon as they arrive will happily rent one sight unseen. How many of us do that on vrbo? Of course a vacation stay is a lot shorter time commitment, but still, once we see nice photos and a good description most of us believe in the honesty of others.....I hope that doesn't change - but the need to verify should still be practiced when someone you don't know wants you to send them money.
Then again, we've probably all received messages from someone we do know who is stranded in London and needs an emergency cash infusion because their passport and money were stolen.......Yikes. Ya gotta still verify.
Rental market here is VERY tight...you can call the morning a listing was placed and the owner already had 20 calls and set up appointments...also, it is VERY common here that most of the landlords do NOT allow pets...just a heads up...
The simplest solution is to just interview some Realtors and then have your Realtor arrange showings and cover the paperwork.
I'm a landlord in Phoenix and I list my properties only via Realtor. You should understand that the landlord pays all the fees and using a Realtor as your rental agent ensures the deal is legitimate. Worst you are out is perhaps $35-$45 per adult tenant for credit checks before they accept your application.
As a landlord I accept only one tenant or tenants credit check fees, and then decide to rent or not, before I reject a tenant and go on to the next applicant, and I review only tenants that appear on the face of their application have a chance of passing a credit check.
One important thing, DO NOT sign any agreement with your showing Realtor regarding exclusive representation. Please use only one Realtor to show you rentals. This topic has been argued out on other forum areas.
On the buying/renting end please use only one Realtor at a time. On the selling/renting end you will have to sign an ER (exclusive representation) to get any good service as a landlord. (I'm not willing to go into that here in this forum area, see the real estate forum section.)
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, but this is a G-rated forum), are taking currently for sale listings, copying them (including photos) and then posting them as rentals on Craigslist.
LOL
