An increasingly common scam involves crooks posing as landlords for property they don’t own, taking a deposit from hopeful would-be tenants and then disappearing into the night with the money.
The Associated Press reports that Adam Christianson, sheriff of Stanislaus County, says "What you have is primarily young, unsuspecting victims who truly believe they're entering into a legitimate rental agreement. Before you know it, the real [property manager] shows up and says `Why are you here?' Then they're out on the street, and also out the money for first and last month's rent and deposit."
One of the best way's to avoid being scammed is to use a rental agent.
You, as a potential renter in {Location_Name}, need to know what you need. Some people are simply looking for a place to eat, sleep and shower while others are looking for a lifestyle or a space that will accommodate various activities, such as working, entertaining and hobbies. Think about what the space needs to do for you and make a list of your specific requirements. For example, do you need built in kitchen appliances? Is a washer and dryer essential or is there a laundry nearby? Do you need easy access to the metro or do you need parking for a car? These are questions only you can answer. And then of course there is the all-important budget. What will your money get you and what are you prepared to sacrifice to stay within budget?
Remember when you assess your requirements to differentiate between wants and needs because unfortunately you will most likely have to compromise somewhere. Your needs are the things you cannot do without and your wants are those little extras that make your life more comfortable but are not essential. Take your list of requirements and mark your wants and needs in different colors and then rank them in order of importance. Remember your needs are always more important than your wants. [
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For more information or to set up an appointment call Stuart at
(703)765-0300.