Do You Know The Rules Of Craig List Apartment Hunting?

This past week Cougar Room Mates has received several emails with beautiful houses for rent in Los Angeles from a friend thinking they are great apartment finds. Surprised that women 40 plus fall for these scams where schemers post ads for apartment rentals on a free site like
Craigs List. In most cases when a women 40 plus is looking to find an apartment it is for a single bedroom. Now in 2009 more women are choosing to share making a financially responsible decision in their single living expenses and lifestyle.

At Cougar Room Mates we want to warn you ladies about scams on Craigs List.

Rule #1

If the place is beautiful, nice or showy and the price is low...go with your intuited thoughts. It is too good to be true.

Rule #2
Never give out private, personal information like your social security number, bank info or telephone number until you are certain they are the real owner. Ladies use your brains here, if your going to have a landlord you need to meet them. Anyone who owns property hires someone local to manage it, if they live out of state or far away.

Rule #3
If you get a email back saying the wife,kiddies, and him have to move to London, however you seem like a good tenant and they want to secure quickly a good tenant. Please fill out the following information and a Fed Ex or wire of the rent money can be arranged. The key will be sent by Fed Ex to you after he recieves the information, or neighbor has the key. No ladies this is a scam.

Rule #4
Ask for the exact address and apartment number. Drive by the address, walk the neighborhood, and visit at all hours of the night. Some homes are quite by Day and all night College Bar neighborhoods by night. Why is the rent so low? Find the reason out.

Rule #5
You want to know if the photo of the apartment is the actual unit. What floor, how many CLOSETS, and how many other will be living there. Find out about the other tenants. One building in a prominent location in Chicago is filled with Cockroaches, another in San Francisco has 3am trash pick up in the alley, a girl must do her homework.

Rule #6
If it is a SHARE, what are the written contracted Rules of the house. If one enters a Shared living arrangement there must be written rules for the sake of privacy, financial, and safety of the home tenants. Is there a secrete 3rd person, how many people are paying rent? Is there rent paid up to date or are you saving them from eviction and a quick fix for them and a mistake for you? Ask questions, one can not ask enough when an add comes from Craigslist.