Prospective Tenants Beware: "It's More Important Than Ever To Do Your Homework" When Renting From A Landlord

In Lee County, Florida, WBBH-TV Channel 2 reports:

• If you're renting instead of buying and think you can't be foreclosed on, think again. Realtors say they're seeing an increase in renters being evicted as a direct result of the foreclosure crisis in Southwest Florida.

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• Realtors say there are literally thousands of rental properties available in Southwest Florida, but finding out which ones are going into foreclosure requires a lot more homework than just calling the number on the sign.

• Real estate attorney Kevin Jursinski recommends asking your potential landlord some tough questions. "I'd ask the owner, are you current on your mortgage?" said Jursinski.
  Have the owner show you the paperwork to prove it. You should also go to the property appraiser’s website to find out if the landlord actually owns the home you’re renting.
  Then go to the county clerk’s website to find out if there are any lawsuits against the owner. You should also call the condo association or homeowners association to find out if they are up to date on their dues. Jursinski has one final tip. "You can go to sunbiz.org. It will tell you if there's any judgment on them throughout the State of Florida," he said.
  With today's real estate slow down, it's more important than ever to do your homework. "If you don't do that, you could have a problem," said Jursinski.

For more, see NBC2 investigates: Renters and foreclosures.

For posts involving rent / equity skimming landlords who pocket rent and allow homes to go into foreclosure, see Tenants Unwittingly Renting Homes In Foreclosure I , II , III , IV , and V. equity skimming unwittingly epsilon