You know where you want to spend your vacation.  You know that your friends have had wonderful success renting homes in the area for their vacation.  Now you found one on one of the rental sites that looks perfect.  This has to be the one.  Before you start booking dates and sending your money do a very basic thing - call the owners and talk to them.  You are protecting yourself from disappointments.

On the other end of the line - If you are an owner about to rent out your vacation home, make sure that you talk to the potential renters before agreeing to the rental.  You are protecting yourself from scams, false inquiries and possible identity theft.

If you cannot get in touch with the owners, ask yourself why not.  This might be an indication that the site has been scammed and that you are not dealing with the owner at all - just someone who wants you to send them the rental money directly.  You want to know that you are dealing with the owners.

If you cannot get in touch with the renters, are they really renters.  Maybe they are trying to hack into your system, get access to your information and potentially commit fraud.  In the perfect world, the renter will tell you where they live (so you can google map their home), have a blog (happy days for all the AR members), have Facebook and all other kinds of identifying information that you can assure yourself that they are sincere.  Do not enter into a transaction not knowing the other side.

Reach out and touch the owner and the renter.  

Protect Yourself.  

Photo credit:  Téléphone ancien

 

Valerie Zinger  valeriezinger@gmail.com 

Ottawa, Canada      613-859-7759

 

 
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16 Comments on Protect Yourself. Talk to the Owners / Renters of Your Vacation Rental

OCT
12
566,020 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Valerie, this is great advice for renters and owners alike.  There are so many people out there bent on defrauding you.  They are even forging money orders - be careful. 
6:22am • #1
546,525 Points 121 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

June:   It seems that you have to have the money - in full and up front - before letting someone into your vacation home.  If you are renting, then be careful how and to whom you send the money.  
6:28am • #2
468,139 Points 8 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I really liked this advise. Like June said there are carpet baggers everywhere waiting to take your money. It is so sad that our world has come to this. It seems to me that this happens more and more often.
6:39am • #3
1,100,105 Points 25 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Valerie, with so many scams going on today, this is good advice owners and renters need to take...
7:46am • #4
447,681 Points 11 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

The interwebs is fraught with peril Valerie, and some of those scammers are very clever people indeed, we have to perform our due diligence. I bet you didn't know that I'm actually a lady from Sierra Leone who is looking for a husband to love and who will support me. My elaborate ruse as a real estate agent from Ontario has been quite convincing, hasn't it?
8:23am • #5
632,988 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Good morning Valerie,

Very true - it's not just "buyer beware" but "renter beware" too - so many scams out there to be wary of.
8:51am • #6
314,457 Points 17 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Sooo many scams, especially on Craigslist! Very good warning blog for the public Valerie!
11:02am • #7
546,525 Points 121 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Sussie:  I agree.  With all of the advances of technology, there are downsides and scamming on the internet is just one of those.

Thanks Rebecca. 

Malcolm:  I did detect a certain marriage readiness in all of your posts and just thought it was a subtle way of finding a rich FEMALE AR agent to take you in under her wing but now I discover that it is you who has been writing my husband looking for a mate.  Are there no men in Sierra Leone?  I believe I have been receiving letters from your husband.  
11:36am • #8
546,525 Points 121 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Lisa:  We think it is the owners who have to be careful but there are people who have arrived at their vacation destination only to find they have not really rented a place and now have no place to stay.

Thanks Patty.  Everyone has to be just a little less trusting and a lot more diligent.
11:38am • #9
474,549 Points 16 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

You bring out some good points Valerie. There is a certain amount of risk in dealing with people for the first time.
11:43am • #10

Great post.  You can never be too careful, there are a lot of scams out there.
11:47am • #11
448,570 Points 72 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Valerie, There is so much scamming going on it pays to be extra cautious and check and double check.
12:26pm • #12
546,525 Points 121 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Janice: It helps if they have an internet presence.  You can do some research in advance.

Gail:  So true.  You want to love and trust but it would be fool hardy to be too trusting.  
12:27pm • #13
OCT
14
534,459 Points 8 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Valerie,  love your vacation rental series.  My daughter found wonderful rental house near Disney World in Orlando using many of the tips you included.  Thanks.
5:34am • #14
798,406 Points 80 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

So true Val, i found my neighbor's property on Craigslist which they did not do...you have to use great sites & do talk to the owners.
6:33am • #15
546,525 Points 121 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Debbie:  So true.  You have to be so careful and check and double check before sending anyone money.

Mary:  Thank you.  I am glad you like this series.

Ginny:  With all the bad press about Craigslist and the scams going on there, I wonder why people would shop for a home or a rental on that site.    It seems so dangerous.
8:59am • #16


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