Scary Story - maybe... (Tampa, Sarasota: real estate, rental, condo)

[lavender]

I'm not sure if I had a narrow escape or not with this. I have a couple of rental properties and one is a beach location and I have short term lets, weekly, by the month and so forth. I have been renting this since the mid nineties and over the years one picks up 'clues' from emails, without even talking to the potential renters. Over the last 3 or 4 weeks, I have had emails off a person, always the same and started to get a little irritated because they didn't respond to my quotes, or didn't appear to, as another same email would come asking about same time. Anyway, I realize that folks can email many opportunities and forget who, so I patiently responded. The incoming date was imminent, so I advised them that I had to have cash, not check, and dont do credit card payments so close either (in case they are fraudulent). On Monday I had a phone call from the person, on a relatively local area phone number. I asked where she was coming from, she didnt' answer, but said she was in Sarasota area. This made me suspicious as they had said she was coming from Canada. Also didn't sound Canadian, not that only Canadians with 'canadian accents' live there. These two things alone didn't really add up to anything. The person started asking me specific things about address of property and so forth as she said she wanted to go and see it first. Now as this was two days away and they were having to drive to see it, I thought it a little odd, but thought 'oh well'. Gave her a broad street address and said I'd fill her in on the address when she was in area and I could meet her. She then asked me if it was ok if it was ok if she arrived late on the check in day, and I said (now thinking this was fishy) 'yes that's fine, I will meet you'. She said she would phone back the day before arrival at a specific time to confirm details. At this point I thought it was odd, nothing concrete yet,but hairs tingling abit. So I started googling around and found.... mugshot of person same name, violent assault/robbery. Now might not be same person, but not a common name, and given address - not exactly Sarasota area, but not that far away in the State of FL. I could be paranoid, but was not taking any chances. Emailed said person and advised the rental had been taken. I'd rather lose the rental....

[LCL111]

Listen to your intuition. Or bring someone with you - Chuck Norris preferably!! You can never be to cautious.

[cfbs2691]

Always go with your gut.
Good call!

[Maggi07]

Whoa! That is scary. I'm glad you didn't go!

[algia]

Background check from now on?

[rezfreak]

I couldnt follow much of that story at all.

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by lavender

I'm not sure if I had a narrow escape or not with this. I have a couple of rental properties and one is a beach location and I have short term lets, weekly, by the month and so forth. I have been renting this since the mid nineties and over the years one picks up 'clues' from emails, without even talking to the potential renters. Over the last 3 or 4 weeks, I have had emails off a person, always the same and started to get a little irritated because they didn't respond to my quotes, or didn't appear to, as another same email would come asking about same time. Anyway, I realize that folks can email many opportunities and forget who, so I patiently responded. The incoming date was imminent, so I advised them that I had to have cash, not check, and dont do credit card payments so close either (in case they are fraudulent). On Monday I had a phone call from the person, on a relatively local area phone number. I asked where she was coming from, she didnt' answer, but said she was in Sarasota area. This made me suspicious as they had said she was coming from Canada. Also didn't sound Canadian, not that only Canadians with 'canadian accents' live there. These two things alone didn't really add up to anything. The person started asking me specific things about address of property and so forth as she said she wanted to go and see it first. Now as this was two days away and they were having to drive to see it, I thought it a little odd, but thought 'oh well'. Gave her a broad street address and said I'd fill her in on the address when she was in area and I could meet her. She then asked me if it was ok if it was ok if she arrived late on the check in day, and I said (now thinking this was fishy) 'yes that's fine, I will meet you'. She said she would phone back the day before arrival at a specific time to confirm details. At this point I thought it was odd, nothing concrete yet,but hairs tingling abit. So I started googling around and found.... mugshot of person same name, violent assault/robbery. Now might not be same person, but not a common name, and given address - not exactly Sarasota area, but not that far away in the State of FL. I could be paranoid, but was not taking any chances. Emailed said person and advised the rental had been taken. I'd rather lose the rental....

You could have escaped from a dangerous situation and great you went with your gut feeling!

Having said that, I looked at your screen name and underneath you mention "Buyers agent" ....

Shouldn't you know better....since I'm in property management I know very well that nobody conducts a background check prior to meeting with a person because that is being done when you get an application and sometimes you try to check out a person prior to meeting them if that is possible....BUT there should have been more red flags when I read your post, which should have warned you sooner.

[lavender]

Thanks for concern bentlebee, but this was a condo rental (short term vacation) and I deal with 100s of them each year, and you can't background check everyone. But I google if I'm getting that feeling and if I am just not sure, I dont work with them. For my actual selling of real estate business, it's mostly folks I have met here over time, or international buyers, who have gone through all sorts of checks and balances to set foot on our soil
I wont deal with anyone who doesn't ring true. You just never know though.

[Tampaite]

Originally Posted by lavender

I'm not sure if I had a narrow escape or not with this. I have a couple of rental properties and one is a beach location and I have short term lets, weekly, by the month and so forth. I have been renting this since the mid nineties and over the years one picks up 'clues' from emails, without even talking to the potential renters. Over the last 3 or 4 weeks, I have had emails off a person, always the same and started to get a little irritated because they didn't respond to my quotes, or didn't appear to, as another same email would come asking about same time. Anyway, I realize that folks can email many opportunities and forget who, so I patiently responded. The incoming date was imminent, so I advised them that I had to have cash, not check, and dont do credit card payments so close either (in case they are fraudulent). On Monday I had a phone call from the person, on a relatively local area phone number. I asked where she was coming from, she didnt' answer, but said she was in Sarasota area. This made me suspicious as they had said she was coming from Canada. Also didn't sound Canadian, not that only Canadians with 'canadian accents' live there. These two things alone didn't really add up to anything. The person started asking me specific things about address of property and so forth as she said she wanted to go and see it first. Now as this was two days away and they were having to drive to see it, I thought it a little odd, but thought 'oh well'. Gave her a broad street address and said I'd fill her in on the address when she was in area and I could meet her. She then asked me if it was ok if it was ok if she arrived late on the check in day, and I said (now thinking this was fishy) 'yes that's fine, I will meet you'. She said she would phone back the day before arrival at a specific time to confirm details. At this point I thought it was odd, nothing concrete yet,but hairs tingling abit. So I started googling around and found.... mugshot of person same name, violent assault/robbery. Now might not be same person, but not a common name, and given address - not exactly Sarasota area, but not that far away in the State of FL. I could be paranoid, but was not taking any chances. Emailed said person and advised the rental had been taken. I'd rather lose the rental....

What the hell..made no sense...

[rezfreak]

Originally Posted by Tampaite

What the hell..made no sense...

Glad to see i wasnt the only one.