Apartments on Craigslist
 

After alot of job searching we'v seen that all over Canada there will be work for both me & the BF in areas that we are qualified :thumbup: ... next thing, accommodation, as someone who has never used Craigslist before, i was just wondering, (as it seems very popular for US & N.america) how reliable it is? like we have been looking at endless amounts of property websites.. and haven't been impressed by much, but some of the apartments & houses on Craigslist are amazing for the money... are they to good to be true?? It is a trusted website? Just wondering has anyone on here used it to get accommodation and it went well or was a disaster?

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

put it this way: craigslist is kind of a free for all. there is no one really monitoring it except other people using it. sometimes the scammers get called out by other users. if there's something that seems dodgy you can post the link here and we can tell you if it's legit or not.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Yey was thinking that, will do. I noticed under your avatar there that your from Vancouver. Would you mind me asking what would be a normal/average rent for a 1bed apartment, nothing fancy within say 30mins of the city. Just something to get us started..

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

I am not sure where you are heading but Craig's List is the major classified website in Vancouver. Most advertisers are genuine but some are not. Too good to be true definitely does mean too good to be true.

Anyone who says they are overseas at the moment but if you send them the deposit they will send you the keys = run.

Anyone who asks you to send money via Western Union = run.

I would not rent anything sight unseen. Even genuine landlords can substantially overrate their properties. Photos can deceive as well as inform. Spend your first few days in a hotel and hit the streets.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Aye, that would be the plan, Iv emailed a few asking more questions, some dont even list where in the city the apartment is. We would defs just geta hostel/hotel and do the rounds for a week. We'v been there before when we were looking at flats when at uni.. so wur no dosers lol some of the pics are slightly fuzzy, so it would make you think that the poster does not have the orginal..maybe copied of google..? Id like to think that at least some of them are real though.. some of these apartments are lovely! We havent picked a definate location yet, wana get some jobs applied for first and see who gets back to us

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

You might want to read the section on Canadian job hunting on the wiki link on the blue bar - it's very different to UK/Ireland and they prefer phone/in person interaction rather than email and their style of resume is slightly different to a CV

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

If I can dive in here, it really depends. Downtown, Yaletown or Coal Harbour, you can easily spend $2,000 +++. Outside downtown somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500 depending on the area. Further out in the suburbs (30 + minutes) you can rent a basement suit for $650 and up.

Some of the best value is The West End. This is between downtown and Stanley Park. Mostly older rental units but very convenient. Probably $1,200 to $1,300 these days.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Yey my BF has had to update his CV to the Canadian style template, will get mines done to. I read someone else saying that they got their job after just seeing a poster and the met the recruiter straight away, but anything iv looked at so far has had an option for email... See that's the best we can do atm because ..well we are still in Ireland lol A few of the engineering jobs my BF has applied for says that they can do Skype interviews for people overseas. But ill keep in mind your advice, Ill be looking for bar/cafe work too so id say i'd do that kinda job hunting when we'd arrive

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Hey, thanks for the figures, see we just have to go by what we see online, but dont know if thats good or ones are ripping the arse outa it! But thats good to know, cheers :thumbup:

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

I would use www.padmapper.com - you can configure the search and it shows photos, walkability factor etc.

:)

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Thanks for the link, just on having a look at it now!

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Craiglist...beware, I mean if a guy can get killed for trying to sell his truck

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

KIJIJI is useful too

http://vancouver.kijiji.ca/f-real-es...s-W0QQCatIdZ37

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/f-real-esta...cationZ1700273

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

found our first two apartments on kijiji. top site.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

oh dear.. never heard that. we'll be careful! :boxing:

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Thanks hi! Will have a look at them sites now. One of the flats I enquired about, the fella got back to me there - apparently him and his family have already moved out and are in Africa and could I forward the first 2months rent for his church repairs and he'll then send the keys!... are there really people stupid enough to fall for this???:eek:

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

There are also a lot of scams done through craigslist, particularly for rentals.

You should have a read through this too: http://apartments.about.com/od/apart...ntal-Scams.htm

:)

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Yes, many people send plenty of cash, otherwise they would not do it. I found a few while looking for a car, same thing, send cash and I will have car delivered. I had fun emailing and killing a bit of their time !!!

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Kijiji isn't as big in Vancouver - more apartments on Craigslist.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Right I know that this is the Canadian section of the website, but as me and the BF still havent decided between Canada & New Zealand, we are looking at acc. in both countries, just to compare expenses etc. I know Craigslist is in big in US & Canada so I wana get some opinions on this email I recieved. I ask 3very straight forward questions - where in the city? close to shops? & what floor its on?...this was the response..

Hi,
Thanks for your email and it's my gladness hearing from you, am Rev Paul i am the owner of the property you are making inquiry of, actually I resided in the house with my family, my wife and my only daughter but presently we had packed due to my transfer from my working place and now situated in Philadelphia,PA in United State. Presently my house is still available for rent it is fully Furnished!

Meanwhile, i went for a Crusade in S.A and i will like you to get in touch with my wife in Glasgow for more details about the house, as she's with the keys and the documents of the House. Please i want you to know that we're kind and honest family, we spent a lot on our property's,so i will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this house and want you to treat it as your own! Its not about the money but its about who will keep it tidy all the time, so that we will be glad to see it neat when we come for a check up. I also want you to let me have trust in you as i always stand on my word!

Email my wife Marjorie on ( snipped - email removed ) and she will attends to you better, pls make sure you send an email to both address.
Thanks and you are welcome...
Regards


to me this seems like a loada crap.. any opinions?

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

This is the classic scam response. The good works they are doing varies, I saw one where the guy was in London working on a cure for aids. The absolute giveaway is the information that the keys are with the wife out of the country. This is point 1 of JonboyE's response in post 4.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Aye that’s why I posted it on here, just to confirm my suspicions, Like they could have at least proof read it first, and then theres the "wife’s" email addresses lol there’s a few others that I have emailed about but I am very sceptical because the pictures are just slightly fuzzy, makes me think their just copied of google. will stick up any of replys I get to see if yous think any are genuine!

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

The other thing to watch out for. If they respond and send you a link to more information and the link requests that you sign in with your email address and password, don't do it. This is another scam to get your login details.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Scummers :thumbdown::frown:

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Ads on Craigslist have a tendency to not be removed by the advertisers after properties are rented, making there appear to be far more than there really are.

We are currently in the process of getting ready to move from our initial location in West Kelowna down to Langley and did have quite a lot of trouble finding a house.

The good ones get taken within hours of being advertised, certainly around Langley/Maple Ridge and as far out as Abbotsford.

Probably not the same level of demand for apartments and basement suites, but single family homes are in high demand, especially newer ones.

There are far more scammers on Craigslist as well. We've had the 'African Missionary' email too many times!

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

I've rented our suite on Craigslist twice. Thought about Kijiji, but get plenty of responses from CL so thought why bother? IMO it works fine and its FREE.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

yey my BF warned me of that to but I dont think it woulda went further than that first email anyway!

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

So is kijiji.

:)

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

IV have 3 now in a row! Their funny and extremely annoying at the same time, would love to just geta response where someone actually is genuine and answers my questions!

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Noticed ads staying on Kijiji longer too. I'm actually guilty of it...was selling some stuff and forgot to take the ads down. Oops.

Bought some stuff and found 2 of our apartments on it. Never had a problem with any whiff of a scam on Kijiji. I'm sure it has it's fair share though.

I think for apartments it's wise to stick to listings that are well written, have some level of detail and definitely have pictures. The one liners that are prevalent are probably best to instantly disregard.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

What bad English! That should ring alarm bells straight away!

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

that was the first thing I noticed! then i read on and it just got annoying! :sneaky:

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

I rented my apartment that I'm in now through craigslist, but I was in vancouver when I was looking for a place and was able to view apartments. The pictures on craigslist can be misleading, they take pictures from funny angles to make the apartments look bigger and when you go to view them they are the size of a hobbits house!!! I pay $1250 per month for a one bedroom apartment in the west end right across the street from sunset beach.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Yey, we'v experienced that when looking at student flats here, or they say aw that's ones rented but have a look at this! That's the kinda figures we are looking at to. Do you mind me asking whats included in your rent? like electric/heat/water/maintenance etc etc, cause some ads say includes all bills and others don't. Plus when looking at the acc. in NZ we see that they pay rent by the week, is this the same in Canada or is payment monthly?

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

It's usual to pay monthly in Canada.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

The rents advertised are per month. In my rent I get heat and hot water included, there's no gas in my apartment so I just pay for electricity which is around $30 per month. Each advert should tell you what's included in your rent.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

This is the provincial rental agreement. http://www.rto.gov.bc.ca/documents/RTB-1.pdf

Note that in section 3 it should state what is, and what isn't, included on the rent.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

Thanks for the info lads, some of the properities we have been viewing online have hardly any info about the rent, some literally just what you pay. Would these be ones to avoid? Will have a look at that rental agreement, always good to know these things in advance ;)

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

just be aware that not all landlords will require a rental agreement, and not all rental agreements look like that one.

Re: Apartments on Craigslist
 

show us the links