Best way to rent out a condo?

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
Funny how things work out. He had viewed it previously but confirmed via email this morning that he wants to move in.

He's giving me three months rent up front b/c he is relocating his family from London and doesn't have credit in the US.
 
Watch out for the fake cashiers check scam.





Someone will send you 10k+ cashiers check, and want you to send 4k back. You will cash it, it will show up in your account and you will think it is all good so you send him the 4k. But 60-90 days later the bank will realize its a fake cashiers check and and yank the 10k back out of your bank your out 4k and still have no renter.





These guys do it all the time on ebay, craigslist, and other sites.





If they want cash back, its definitely a scam.
 
<p><em>You will cash it, it will show up in your account and you will think it is all good so you send him the 4k. But 60-90 days later the bank will realize its a fake cashiers check</em> </p>

<p>What happens if you cash the check but don't send anything back? Don't lose anything but get free money if it's real?</p>

<p> </p>
 
You can get arrested: <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/05/eveningnews/consumer/main587162.shtml">www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/05/eveningnews/consumer/main587162.shtml</a>
 
<p>Shooby,</p>

<p>FYI, I am also a listing agent for many leases. I found that over 80%of potential tenants who approached me directly without an agent were those with extremely poor rental history, or more often enough, those with scamming history. So be very careful. The scammers can trick you to put liens on your house, or move-in and live for free. Good luck.</p>

<p>It's unfortunate that you do not feel agents are helpful.</p>
 
Be careful with any out of country check. Just not the way to do business or at least for a first time. Get funds wire transferred or via PayPal only. Unless its on a local account you are taking some chances with your property. It could take you months to get them evicted. As stated earlier in this thread. Dont be penny wise and pound foolish. Get someone on a lower rate with a good FICO or someone that has assets in a local account you can verify. Dont do any kind of deal with out a face to face meeting with the principle tennant. Protect yourself. As mentioned there are so many out of country trollers on Craigslist looking for an easy mark to con. Avoid being a victim.
 
<p>Gosh, and I thought it was bad here in South Florida. A scam I never heard of! </p>

<p>By the way, I discovered that rent skimming is called equity skimming here, while researching something else. But there is not a single case listed in the annotations of the Florida Statute, and I never heard of it, so I suppose it is a dead letter. Evictions here are relatively quick, so I guess that there's no need for this statute. And getting money out of evicted renters? Hah.</p>
 
Out of country tennant? He might as well say he is from Nigeria.. Almost bet it is a scam. Do not give cash back on the checks. They ususally will require a western union of some sort. Be careful with the london guy.
 
<p>Yep, as a apartment owner I get MANY of these people trying to rent the apartments (have a agency manage it) and i make them DIRECTLY responsible for any of the issues that might happen. If I get burned, they get burned and we both share the pain. Go for a low cost reasonable choice, 100-200 out of pocket is a small price to pay for good renters. Believe me, first time you evict somebody or have to do court proceedings a few hundred will feel like a relief. Last time it happend to me it was nearly 8k out of pocket. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>-bix</p>
 
<p>This is the precise reason why high rent is a loser. You may have become the landlord of last resort for a shaky applicant who has likely exhausted all of the market-competitive rental listings and is now contacting those landlords who are in a state of desperation thus are more willing to deviate from prudence and best practice.</p>

<p>Good luck.. Hopefully his story is real and he's a good tenant.</p>
 
I've pretty much decided to brush off that guy, not taking any risks whatsoever. I have two more families coming tonight to check out the place, hopefully it goes well, I decided I'd rather deal with someone local and someone I can meet face to face.
 
Just for kicks, here's the history of emails he's sent me:



I am Dr. Richard Thai, a medical practitioner.

I want to relocate with my family to the united states from Great Britain. .

I want to rent this apt and get it ready before my arrival.



Provide me adequate information on your rent

procedures, and the current situation of

this ho use. Is this house furnished? I would prefer it

unfurnished as i intend placing order for my own kind

of furniture that will sooth my taste. Can you

send me a few pictures of the house?.

Please it is important that you send all responses to my private email: richardthai26@yahoo.co.uk



Treat as urgent pls.



Cordial



Dr. Thai.



---------------------------------------------------------------------



Dear Shu,



Thanks for your mail and details on this unit. I actually had been wondering if you received my mail as i was yet to hear from you.I will be glad to offer 3 months rent cost with the security deposit to you and have the balance 9 months rent settled upon my arival to the States.This initial deposit you will receive is a mearsure to secure the unit prior to my arrival. I will sign a one year lease upon my arrival, please be rest assured that this unit will be okay for me and my family. We will be setting up a private clinic upon our arrival. I am a Surgeon and my wife is a Gynaecologist. We will be into private practice.





Could you be kind enough to let me know what the electricity/utility cost would be ?as i will really need to have this unit properly secured before my arrival. You can send me the lease for my review and endorsement and also enable be review it ahead of time.. I will complete the application upon my arrival,In my opinion, vital financial personal information be handled over to you physically, since i will be meeting with you upon my arrival.Please , send me a picture view of the living and bed rooms.



I believe we can work together and ensure every arrangements that we shall both execute in line with my taking up the tenancy should be done accordingly to ensure we have a proper understanding.



In view of the limited time i have now, i would want us to discuss on phone and finalise basic arrangements. Call me on . +44 70457 46089 +44 70457 46081

Dial as presented for international calls. I will arrive the united states on the 30th of November, with my wife and daughter. Please it is very important that you send all further correspondence to my private email: richardthai26@yahoo.co.uk



If you require any specific information, pls let me know . I hope we can talk soon.



My due regards,



Dr Thai.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Dear Chris,



I received your mail and all its contents were clearly understood, I sincerely appreciate the informations provided in view the utilities cost. I will also like to know if there is any private schools close this unit, because I want my daughter to attend school not too far from home. I had a clear view of the pictures and they were satisfactory Please I will kindly advice you to remove this unit from any further advert placement.



I am aware that this unit is not furnished, this is no problem as I am already making arrangements with a furniture company to supply my kind of furniture to the home upon your receipt of the rent and deposite. Please i will also need you to provide me with the measurements of the living room and the bed rooms as i need to send these informations to the furniture company to enable them select appropriate furniture that will sooth the home.



Working within my time schedule, provide me with your full names and contact address with which payment can be issued and sent you. You will be receiving the payment within 3-4 working days The rent (cost) is fine with me, you can proceed with the lease agreement as my wife will be meeting with you to complete and sign all paper work before the end of this month, however I will send you a copy of my passport and other relevant documents. My wife will be coming over to the U.S to make arrangements for our furniture delivery arrangments and also sign the paper works with you.



I will await to read from you, I will be calling you tomorrow as i am having a busy schedule today, provide me with your phone numbers and please let me know when I can call you. Extend my regards to your family. Hope to meet you soon.



My regards,



Dr. Richard



============================================================



Scam indeed.
 
The funny thing (to me) is that I might be a candidate for that unit, but he'd need to come down to about $1750 before I'd even think about it.
 
There is no question in my mind that is a scammer. The language is very proper and formal, yet it is infested with mistakes. Matches perfectly with the vast majority of the countless scammer emails I receive.
 
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