Looking for a new home? Tips on how to avoid rental scams

Relocating, starting a family, moving and looking into a new home but not ready to buy? The best solution is to rent your future new living space. Finding a place to rent is not as difficult as it was 10 years ago. Now, we have property listings, apartment rental ads and social media make it easy for a lessor to post about a property for rent. But, unfortunately, not all home rental listings are legit as they say. There are people who take advantage when there is money involved. So how do you avoid rental scams? Here are some tips to help you identify and avoid getting a rental scam.

Consider the source

Always look into where you found the information. Is it from a social media post, an ad online, a property listing, or a property agent?  Make sure to do your research by looking into reviews or complaints against that source. If you find bad reviews or find the information sketchy, you may want to look somewhere else.

Research about the property

Rental home listings may appear anywhere including social media or free listing services. Make sure to double-check and search for the home address in the company’s website. If you find a property agent post on social media, make sure to double-check the property showing up on the company’s website as well.

Compare rental prices

By this time you will already know the going rental price in the preferred area you want to rent at. Is the rent significantly lesser compared to other rentals in the area? This could be a potential red flag.

Ask for a property tour

If you’re interested, ask for a property tour and make sure you have someone with you as you take that tour. Ask for identification issued by the company the real estate agent works for. Ask about any available information about the property owner and why the property is up for rent. 

Double checking

Before signing the lease, check any mention of the real estate company or owner’s name and look it up. Some property owner does not want their information readily available, so make sure to call the company to double-check if the property is on their listing.

When looking for a place to rent, make sure to look for properties in the right places. Check out the properties for rent on Filipino Homes list of properties for rent anywhere in the Philippines.