Home rental scams are getting out of control! If the situation doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Go with your gut. Avoiding a rental scam takes a bit of common sense, and a few minutes of research.
In this video, Dustin Brohm, a Salt Lake City Real Estate agent shows how to spot a rental scam, and how to avoid getting caught up in a rental scam.
*How does the rental scam work?* These days there are unscrupulous scammers who are taking a home that is listed for sale by a Realtor, take the photos and address, and create a new For Rent listing. The monthly rent usually seems a bit low, which is what attracts so many people to the rental scam to begin with.
When an unsuspecting wannabe renter reaches out to the "landlord" listed on the rental listing to get more info, they usually either receive a pre-written email (often with bad grammar) and or a text message. Here's where the red flag needs to go up: when you ask to SEE the home for rent, they always have some sort of excuse as to why you can't get in to see the home yet. ALWAYS! Usually it sounds reasonable and feasible, but it's just yet another lie within this rental scam.
Then the "landlord" will suggest that you fill out an application, and SUBMIT A DEPOSIT NOW, so that you can secure the home over anyone else. They play on the hot, competitive rental market and your fear of losing the home to someone else. As soon as you send them money, you'll never see it, or them, again.
The first thing I want to stress is that if a rental listing doesn't seem right, for whatever reason, it probably is not. Go with your gut. But you also need to research the property before giving the "landlord" any information, let alone money. This video will show you how to spot a rental scam, and research it to find out for sure.
Video comes from a Facebook Live by Dustin Brohm, a Salt Lake City real estate agent and the Founder of http://searchsaltlake.com
********************************************************* About Dustin Brohm...
Salt Lake City Real Estate Agent, Entrepreneur, Snapchat Personality, Marketing Expert Founder of http://SearchSaltLake.com Proud Father, Husband, & pretty big goofball
