International money exchange situation

[Zephyrman]

Here's the situation:

Me and a group of friends are going to Boston for about three months in the summer. We've contacted a guy about an apartment and we're working through the details now.

We have to pay the rent in advance. The thing is, the first payment needs to be in the middle of March, to act as a deposit so he knows we're coming he says. We won't be arriving in America (we're from Ireland btw) until the end of May. We've heard one or two stories of people in our situation getting screwed by guys that they think they are renting apartments from who run away with their money.

So I'm wondering if anyone has an suggestions about how we can safeguard against this.

We had the idea of a joint bank account that both people need to be present in the bank to withdraw money from. We could lodge the $2400 into the account so the guy could see it is there and then when we arrive and are actually in the apartment we could withdraw the money with him.

Any other ideas along those lines?

 

[CaptKirby]

Well, I do not have any really great advice, but making sure that there is an actual website for these apartments would be a good idea! Paypal can also help protect against fraud, right?

 

[Toothache]

Paypal only has a £500 limit (around $1000) for protection, so I wouldn't use that for such a large transaction.

 

[CLegacyM]

You don't know anyone personally from Boston? I would try and get in contact with someone that either you or your friends or someone in your family actually knows. Too many people nowdays try to swindle.

Also I'd try and bargain to pay when you arrive.

 

[Zephyrman]

Thanks for the advice guys. As far as I know Paypal doesn't cover such large amounts, as Toothache said. One of the guys going has an uncle in Cape Cod I think it is, so chance are we'll ask him to travel to Boston to meet the guys with the apartment and make sure it actually exists and stuff. I forgot to mention that earlier actually. That'll make sure that the apartment is actually there and that and not just made up, so that's a certain level of security alright.

We tried to bargain to pay on arrival, but they say they want the deposit a few months in advance to make sure that we are actually coming over for the summer, otherwise they could be stuck with an empty apartment when they could have rented to someone else. That's fairly understandable I think, I'd do the same like.

 

[Hustino]

Living in Boston, I can at the very least say that every apartment owner or Realtor requires a security deposit before moving in, usually equal to one month's rent, so that by itself isn't unusual.

What's the name of the place?

 

[Zephyrman]

Yeah the deposit is even less than one months rent I think.

It's in an area called Mission Hill, near Northeastern University. Do you know it?

 

[Hustino]

Haha, wow. I basically live next to Northeastern University. Mission Hill is about a ten-to-fifteen minute walk from there. I definitely know of it; in fact, I was considering getting an apartment there last year before settling for another.

 

[Zephyrman]

Haha small world!

So I take it the area is alright then? An American employer came over here to do interviews last week, and I was talking to him about accomodation and that, and told him we were probably going staying in Mission Hill. He wasn't exactly flattering about the area. He said it wouldn't be his first choice.

 

[Hustino]

It's an okay area. It's a little sketchy and isn't the best by any means, but there are areas far worse than it. I wouldn't worry too much, particularly if you're a group of guys.