It’s too bad. When I lived overseas and needed to rent out my condo back in the U.S., I engaged Century 21 to “professionally manage” it. In three weeks, they posted two ads in the local paper at my expense and didn’t receive a single response. Then my mom took over, posted it on Craig’s List, and had a signed lease within 24 hours. Now that scammers have taken over CL, I have no idea how I’d rent out my place again if I needed to.
Don’t use Century 21 again, there are plenty of others who only take a portion of the rent as their payment. That’s what we’re doing right now and this is the second company in a row we’re renting our house out through. They don’t charge for anything until they rent your home and then they take half the first month’s rent and 10% per month after. If we lived nearby we wouldn’t bother but we’re 2000 miles from our house and it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.
I have two houses in the U.S. that are managed. Both by REMAX and I cannot say anything bad about them. When the renters turn over they take half the rent the first month and as Nawth Chucka said, 10% a month after that.
I’m HAPPY to pay that because the headaches are all taken care of for me.
Is that per renter, or per contract with the owner?
I’d be wary of signing a contract that gives them incentive to have lots of renter turnover…
I might be looking to rent my condo soon and am researching management companies. One of them has a monthly fee, plus a contract fee. However, they also have a contract renewal fee which they say covers yearly walk-throughs plus other paperwork.
While this seemed like somewhat of a ripoff, your post makes me think it also lowers incentives for them to have large turnover since they will get the renewal fee regardless.
This is how my company works as well.
Are you, by chance, in the Paris region? Because it took an almost harrowing experience for me to learn that.
I got very similar email from a different name, but they appearently work for a same hospital in Nigeria. Believe or not.
I was looking for a place in NY.
But the person said this about Western Union. What is the main purpose of this scam, if it’s really scam? As he said, he probably cannot get the money.
The funds should be deposited with Western Union.I understand you will be weary about making a deposit on an apartment which you have not seen,but as i stated in my previous email,you will not be able to gain entrance into the apartment since the keys are here with me, i hope you understand that i cant not send out the keys to my apartment without at least confirming a deposit.
Therefore to make you feel relaxed and safe,here is way to go about it.
Please note that Western Union does not pay money out without valid identification,therefore when you get to Western union,put the money in your friend or relatives name (As the reciever) to my Address in Nigeria so that i can confirm the deposit here,i will be unable to get the money since it is not in my name,All you need to send to me is the MTCN(this is the money tracking number)Number so that i can confirm from Western Union that the said amount is available,this is just to
confirm that you can pay the deposit,as soon as i confirm the availablilty,i shall immediately ship out the keys and documents,when you receive the Keys and Documents,and you have seen the place and like it,you would go to western union and change the recievers name into my name, please find below my address.
This doesn’t make sense. He says he cannot send out the keys without the deposit, but then says he can send out the keys without the deposit. Are you sure you can’t get a Western Union transfer with only the MTCN? Maybe he has the capability to manufacture I.D.s. Maybe WU works differenty there. Maybe he has a cohort working for WU. I’d be extremely wary. Contact some tenants or on-site management; see what they say.
Of course it doesn’t make sense. ITS. A. FRIKKING. SCAM.
:rolleyes:
No, no. This one could be real. You see, it only takes one bad apple, then everyone thinks all the landlords in Nigeria, somehow managing apartment buildings in New York, asking a prospective tenant to blindly send him cash via wire transfer before he even sees the apartment, are unscrupulous rogues.
I’m not going to paint with that broad brush.
:rolleyes: