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Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Old Mar 17th 2010, 8:03 pm
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Exclamation Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

We've finally found a place to rent in the US and have filled in the app forms. Now I've found out that they need the deposit and app fee before they'll consider us, but as I'm in the UK speed is not really on my side.

The agent asked for an overnight money order, but I have no idea how to do that from the UK. I found a website (http://www.payko.com/) that can send them from a paypal payment, but they only allow a max of $200 per day... which isn't enough to cover the deposit.

My bank can transfer it but they said it could take up to 6 days!! Please can anyone direct me to the quickest way to get the money over? I don't want to lose this house!!
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Old Mar 17th 2010, 8:16 pm
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Originally Posted by Aaarrrggg
We've finally found a place to rent in the US and have filled in the app forms. Now I've found out that they need the deposit and app fee before they'll consider us, but as I'm in the UK speed is not really on my side.

The agent asked for an overnight money order, but I have no idea how to do that from the UK. I found a website (http://www.payko.com/) that can send them from a paypal payment, but they only allow a max of $200 per day... which isn't enough to cover the deposit.

My bank can transfer it but they said it could take up to 6 days!! Please can anyone direct me to the quickest way to get the money over? I don't want to lose this house!!
We've always used Paypal directly, and I know the last time his mom sent us some $ from the UK, it was well over $200. I'm not sure if it was overnight or not but it certainly didn't take too long to get the funds. Maybe a day max?
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Old Mar 17th 2010, 8:41 pm
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Originally Posted by Aaarrrggg
I don't want to lose this house!!
Ask a family member to send it for you from inside the US and pay them back ASAP.
What's family for?
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Old Mar 17th 2010, 9:11 pm
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Put it on a credit card.
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Old Mar 17th 2010, 9:16 pm
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Originally Posted by meauxna
Ask a family member to send it for you from inside the US and pay them back ASAP.
What's family for?
Ah good idea! Funny, in my panic I hadn't even thought of that.

Thanks for the input all! I'll see if my father in law a
can sort something out tomorrow.
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Old Mar 17th 2010, 10:29 pm
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Transfers from my HSBC bank account (via online banking) to my wife's Bank of America account seem to go through the same day. Not guaranteed though.
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Old Mar 17th 2010, 10:41 pm
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Originally Posted by Aaarrrggg
We've finally found a place to rent in the US and have filled in the app forms. Now I've found out that they need the deposit and app fee before they'll consider us, but as I'm in the UK speed is not really on my side.

The agent asked for an overnight money order, but I have no idea how to do that from the UK. I found a website (http://www.payko.com/) that can send them from a paypal payment, but they only allow a max of $200 per day... which isn't enough to cover the deposit.

My bank can transfer it but they said it could take up to 6 days!! Please can anyone direct me to the quickest way to get the money over? I don't want to lose this house!!
6 days...that's ridiculous. An electronic transfer takes between 24 and 48 hrs...more often than not it's 24 hours.
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Old Mar 17th 2010, 11:52 pm
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
6 days...that's ridiculous.
Yeah that's what I thought too. I guess they're just covering their asses in case it doesn't go through that quick. It's HSBC so its good to hear that they're usually fast. I'll try one or other route tomorrow. Thanks guys!
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Old Mar 18th 2010, 12:53 am
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Looks like they require a money order rather than a transfer as it is effectively a prepaid cheque.

Luckily my agent found this site: http://www.moneygram.com/ to check for the nearest place I can send a money order from. (For anyone else using the search form I found that I got no results when I put in my postcode, but as soon as I took it out I found one down the road!)

Once I send the money order, I can send my agent the scanned receipt to prove that it's on the way. Hurrah!
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Old Mar 18th 2010, 2:55 am
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Originally Posted by Aaarrrggg
Looks like they require a money order rather than a transfer as it is effectively a prepaid cheque.

Luckily my agent found this site: http://www.moneygram.com/ to check for the nearest place I can send a money order from. (For anyone else using the search form I found that I got no results when I put in my postcode, but as soon as I took it out I found one down the road!)

Once I send the money order, I can send my agent the scanned receipt to prove that it's on the way. Hurrah!
Be a bit careful. Moneygram is like Western Union - once you hand over the dosh, it's gone and if the wrong person gets it...

If you have to go that route, use it or WU to send the cash to a family member, then have them pick it up and turn it into a money order or cashier's check to give to the agent.

Edited to add: How sure are you that this agent is kosher? Money orders, moneygram, it's all a bit on the sub-prime end of things...

Edited again to add: I just re-read your OP and the part where you said "Now I've found out that they need the deposit and app fee before they'll consider us, but as I'm in the UK speed is not really on my side." rings alarm bells with me:
(a) because they're asking for money in order to "consider" you rather than as part of a contract and
(b) because they seem to have (rather successfully) instilled in you a sense of urgency that's pretty much a bog standard component of many cons.

Last edited by chartreuse; Mar 18th 2010 at 3:01 am.
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Old Mar 18th 2010, 3:04 am
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

The problem is the money needs to get there asap, so I wouldn't want to delay things by going via a relative. We've been looking for places to rent for a little while and keep missing them... and this one is perfect, which isn't easy when you have 4 dogs! With the money order route hopefully the scan of the receipt could get the ball moving. The agent is from a recommended company in Austin so I'm pretty sure he's on the up and up. I appreciate the warning though, I'll look into it a bit more before I commit.
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Old Mar 18th 2010, 4:34 am
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

I really don't like the sound of this either. Due to the cost of buying a house we have always rented here. Some places ask for a small application fee (~$25) and the cost of doing a credit check (~$15) but you NEVER pay a deposit until they have decided you are the one they want to rent to. I'd be very wary of giving them a sizeable deposit unless they have committed to holding the house/apt for you.

The other thing I'd worry about is that when they "consider" you they usually do a credit check, and with (what seems like) no credit history in the US they may very likely refuse to rent to you. It's all very well to lose $50 but you're saying the deposit is more than $200? How are they going to get that back to you if it's so difficult for you to get it to them.

I'm glad you have an agent, but I'd get some sort of contract before you send anything more than $50.
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Old Mar 18th 2010, 9:57 pm
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

I double and triple checked the agent, his agency and the agent in charge of the property and it all seems legit.

I went into Thomas Cook and MoneyGrammed the app fee and deposit money to my agent to hold onto until the deal is done. He's been really great in helping us house hunt from a-far a mth and a half now; going everywhere, taking photos and what not, so I felt I could trust him. Plus we got his email from a recommended website.

Thanks again for warning me though because this definitely could have gone wrong. I felt a lot better about sending the cash after doing some more research.

Good news too! The landlord said "Let's do it!" ...so barring any random mishaps between now and next week when we officially sign, we're in! Move in date should be Apr 10th... now its the scramble to get over there! So frightening and exciting hehe
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Old Mar 18th 2010, 10:43 pm
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Originally Posted by Aaarrrggg
Good news too! The landlord said "Let's do it!" ...so barring any random mishaps between now and next week when we officially sign, we're in! Move in date should be Apr 10th... now its the scramble to get over there! So frightening and exciting hehe
Fingers crossed for an uneventful move.
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Old Mar 19th 2010, 1:20 am
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Default Re: Whats the quickest way to get money to the US?

Hope it goes well! I'm glad they let you have the house!
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