Apartment hunting心得

現在住的這個one br公寓, 是棟L型的兩層樓房, 一樓是two br的公寓, 二樓隔成兩戶, 我們是其中一戶, 住這唯二的好處就是租金相當的合理(比起現在狂飆上漲的租房市場而言, 六年沒漲過價的房東, 還真是善心人士), 且生活機能非常方便(離Boston約半小時車程, 不管是購物商場或超市都近在咫呎), 只是除卻這兩好處, 這公寓可是太小了點, 若要以傳統的風水學來看, 那還真是不大妙, 當然北極熊這個老美怎麼會信風水呢, 但他也坦承樓下那戶不大對勁, 因在他搬來的這六年裡住過三對房客, 不管是正常夫妻檔, 同性伴侶檔, 年輕情侶檔, 都是住了一年多以離婚或分手收場搬出, 兩對或許是巧合, 但三對都是一樣, 就有點那個了.

最近禁不住徐媽媽的催促, 北極熊總算點頭願意看看其他公寓, 不過他可是開出了一堆條件, 而其中一條就是不想透過realtor.  所以前幾個禮拜, 我可是每天盯著craigslist看個好幾小時, 不看還好, 一看發覺現在的租屋市場可真是驚人, 租金都高的嚇人, 只有在一些惡名昭彰的地方, 才有較合理的價格, 但總不能搬到那種地方去, 又不是活的不耐煩了, 當然有時會出現似乎價廉物也美的公寓, 但總是”秒殺”, 實在是令人傷腦筋.

有次發現在隔壁鎮似乎有相當令人不敢置信的房子, 上面沒有留電話只有email, 這也算正常, 畢竟有那麼多人在看craigslist, 喜歡亂打電話騷擾的怪人多的很, 所以我就發了封電郵去詢問詳細地址, 結果等了兩天都沒回覆, 心想可能已經租出去了, 誰知第三天收到了回信, 剛看到回信時, 我整個開心, 心想這次走運了嗎? 誰知一點開email, 傻眼的看到”落落長”的信, 我想你這房東是做啥, 有必要寫那麼多嗎? 一細看更是覺得怪, 請看下面這封:

**Thanks for your email, I personally own the house, I want my property to be well taken good care of, and there are some rules and regulation in which I do give out to tenant willing to rent my house so please don’t disrespect my order But if you are still capable of renting my house the rules and regulation goes this way
You must keep my house clean including the surrounding, you must know the way in which you use the stove so as to avoid fire outbreak,you must not disturb the neighbor.I decided to rent out the property due to our transfer to (West Africa) on a Missionary Work,here is the site www.missionary-blogs.com for more details about why we are here in West Africa .the initial plan was to sale out the House.which I tried, but sometimes the Agents inflates the prize and it takes longer to sell.so we later changed our minds and wanting to rent now so we are looking for someone to move in asap, so we are renting it out since we need someone to take good care of the property on our absent. Don’t be surprise if you find the home with another site and deference price,I have plan to rent it through Real estate before, but they are not serious simply because they have a lot of house to lease out And they added some money to the rent while there commission is not fair.Have this in mind you must know the kind of person that I’m nevertheless I am giving you this rules because of what corresponded between me and my last tenant. the keys and documents are with us here in West Africa… So I will need to ship them to you before you can occupy the house But you can drive by the house anytime to take a look at the area and surrounding, You can also peek through the windows if you don’t mind.For now we are looking for 2 or 3 years lease or rather lets us know how long you wish to stay.

 let me know if you are still interested so that I can forward you the Rental Questionnaire to fill out…

PROPERTY DESCRIPTION………..

Number of Bedrooms:2
Number of baths:1.0
Square footage:840
Pets are welcome!!!
Rent:800
Refundable security Deposit:$900

Thanks and remain blessed.. **

我看時因為剛睡醒, 所以只想到不能進屋子去看, 我怎知你家馬桶能不能冲水啊, 隨信附上了好幾張照片, 一張主臥室裡床頭牆上吊著十字架, 似乎呼應了他說他們是基督徒的身分, 但怪異的是, 既然屋主想出租房子, 為什麼要把文件和鑰匙都帶到西非, 北極熊說西非ㄟ, 對喔! 西非最出名的是什麼? -國際騙子! 而且這信裡的英文有點破, 兩人越想越怪, 就用信裡附上的地址在網路上查詢, 發現明明有兩三家仲介在賣這房子, 而且隔天就是open house, 這表明仲介有鑰匙, 什麼在西非啦, 為了不冤枉人, 我還email給一個仲介確認, 好心的仲介迅速回信說, 那刊登在craigslist 上的是假的. 現在有很多詐騙集團來這套, 去各個仲介網站偷照片和地址, 然後自己刊登來騙錢, 因為你至少要先匯第一個月的租金和保證金過去, 所謂的房東才會寄鑰匙給你, 當然苦主永遠也收不到鑰匙. uhhhhh, 來這套, 我跟北極熊算是見識了, 不經一事不長一智, 以這套理論回去看craigslist, 發覺上面騙子還真多勒, 後來在網路上看到一個仲介故意假扮要租房子, 跟騙子來來回回的email, 那還真是爆笑至極 – Anatomy of a Rental Scam  , 有空的人可以看看.

找房的過程中, 因為對於一些市鎮也不是很了解, 所幸有Neighborhood Scout這個網站可查詢, 這網站有每個市鎮的統計資料, 包含犯罪率, 人口種族及居民的工作種類, 當然還有房地產的資料, 真是一個好幫手網站.  而我們最後在收過三四封不同騙子但大同小異的email後, 兩人總算在metro west的小鎮找到較為理想的公寓, 咳! 這還真是累啊!

 

 


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5 Responses to Apartment hunting心得

  1. yufei says:

    所以你們找到公寓囉, 恭喜恭喜!!

  2. V says:

    恭喜找到新房!最近我們也在忙搬家(離開Mass),房子準備出租/出售,有些東西上craigslist賣,也遇到騙子。Google他們的email addresses,詐騙歷史都出來了。

  3. Chloe says:

    V: 謝謝! 哇, 你們要搬離麻州啊, 這樣就少了一個麻州美食嚮導了.
    你們要賣東西也遇上騙子, 是怎樣的騙子啊?

  4. V says:

    我們賣的東西都是一手交錢一手交貨(?),很簡單。那人說他在出差中,又提到money order and bank account,落落長的email也很沒創意,google一下就露底了。以前還遇過一位非洲來的,說要買printer,想把比賣價高的款項匯過來,我們再將要找他的錢匯過去,同樣是老掉牙的洗錢手法。

    妳搬過來Concord這邊,5月底可以去Verrill Farm的asparagus festival,現採現吃(紫)蘆筍,超甜超好吃的。我去年有去,部落格亦提過。

  5. Chloe says:

    Asparagus Festival, thanks for the info. 我家那位愛吃蘆筍 這一定要去的

    這些騙子真的就像妳說的都很沒創意, 實在很難想像還是有人會上當匯錢.

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