South Florida On The Market

Moving to a new city? Planning a vacation? As you consider issues like size, cost, and location of the rental, also consider this: that rental listing could be a scam. Scammers often advertise rentals that don’t exist or aren’t available to trick people into sending money before they find out the truth.  How Rental Scams Work Signs of a Scam How to Report Scams   Scammers know that finding the right apartment or vacation rental can be hard work, and a seemingly good deal is hard to pass up. They’ve been known to game some vacation rental websites and bulletin boards. The take-away: when you’re looking for a rental, it’s caveat renter — renter beware.  Some scammers hijack a real rental or real estate listing by changing the email address or other contact information and placing the modified ad on another site. The altered ad may even use the name of the person who posted the original ad. In other cases, scammers have hijacked the email accounts of property owners o

1. Consider how you’ll use the home.  Will it just be for family and friends, or do you plan to rent it as well? And realistically, how many times will you use it per year? 2. Evaluate locations.  Are there enough amenities and attractions to keep you— and renters—coming back year after year? 3. Talk to the locals.  What do they love about the area? What’s changing? And what’s it like during the off-season? 4. Study local laws.  If you plan to rent the home, local rules may restrict rental periods or cap the number of days you can rent each year.  5. Calculate costs.  Along with mortgage, insurance, property taxes and association or amenities fees, plan for wear and tear.  (A good rule of thumb: Budget 1 1⁄2 percent  of home’s value on repairs annually.) And if you intend to rent, add the cost of a property manager.  Consider agents with Resort & Second-Home Property Specialist certification (RSPS) as they have completed additional instruction to h