Be on the lookout for dubious landlords in Missoula

I have heard of things like this in larger cities like Las Vegas and Phoenix, but not as close to home as Missoula until now.  

A friend of mine was looking for a rental in Missoula.  they found one online that was for rent by owner.  They responded to the ad after having driven by the home.   The owner said that they were in Africa but wanted to rent it really bad.  This obviously threw up a flag.  I got a call wanting to know if I could check to see who actually owned the home.  I said sure, I do that kind of things for friends, clients, and well... anyone who asks.  At about the same time that I found the owners real name, the prospective tenants drove by the house again and found the real owner outside the house.  This was obviously a scam.  

What can you do?

First thing is to watch out for red flags.  If someone is in Africa they should have someone in the U.S. managing their affairs.  If not a property manager then someone that has a power of attorney that can make decisions about the house.  It would really suck if your water heater flooded the house and you have to wait 3 days to find someone in the jungles of Africa to get it fixed.  

Second you can check the owner of record according to the state property tax roles.  Go to Http://gis.mt.gov to search the property.  There are several ways to search and this can sometimes get rather cumbersome.  If you need help feel free  to call me at 406-370-7009.

Lastly you can ask for your favorite real estate agent (me) to review everything with the property from leases to ownership verification.  This will cost you..... Nothing.   

Be vigilant.