How can I tell if a broker is legit?

" I'm in shock that he did this for $60. but what do they accomplish scamming people with application fees"

Ummm $60. Ten people like you $600? An amount small enough that it's a hastle to follow through.

Craigslist kinda reminds me of the old days of 42nd street,while walking down at 16 with everyone running up to you , "Coke? Smoke? Switchblades? ID?" Someone in my neighborhood once went for the switchblade option, paid $15, went around the corner, got his sealed switchblade box that had weight to it, opens it up,..... a snickers bar.

If you insist on using craigslist, at least background the broker, google his name, his company name, is he/she licensed? etc. before handing over money.

When looking on Craigslist, ads without the agent's name or their brokerage are an immediate red flag. The worst thing about RE ads on Craigslist are the amount of fake "by owner" listings. If you see a by owner ad listed by "********" or "the management company" steer clear of it. Fake fake fake.

craigslist is so 2005

Sometimes we'd put in two snickers bar.

Buying nyc re and thinking you're gonna make money, so 2007

Did you write a check? Credit card?

"The worst thing about RE ads on Craigslist are the amount of fake "by owner" listings. If you see a by owner ad listed by "********" or "the management company" steer clear of it. Fake fake fake."

I own and manage my own buildings and put everything on craiglist "by owner" myself. I have been doing so with great success since 2002. Some people are just as surprised as you when they show up (and sometimes even card me) at a viewing, so I will not hold it against you.

It is a shame that you would think that any management company would be a fake though.

Urbandigs, Point taken. But I get more views, applications and tenants from CL then I do from SE, FYI.

(although the SE ones are usually better quality)

Before handing over any documents and/or money to an agent (or even going out with someone who says they are one), request their NY Department of State ID which should be on their person at ALL TIMES while conducting business! Better yet, check the NY Department of State's website for licensed agents for their names before making an appointment and confirm when you meet them.

Good luck!

Althea Ffrench
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Triumph Property Group

So, MAV...what do you have avail or coming up?

This is where you can check if the broker is at least licensed in NY State:

https://appsext7.dos.state.ny.us/nydos/selSearchType.do

"So, MAV...what do you have avail or coming up? "

A few things, but you will have to find me on your own, as I do not advertise on (the message board of) StreetEasy

Thanks, MAV.

Actually as much as i try to avoid fees when renting, there's still no equivalent to Craigslist if you want to have a mix of offer from different Owners and Agency combined. So i don't have to go through each broker web site to see what's out there. The Street easy rental section is actually pretty weak and so is the inventory on nybits.com .
Sure there are scammers on Craigslist but i smell those guys a mile away and i would not deal with a freelance re agent. If you meet an owner, just search on Acris if his name matches the address he wants to rent you. I've embarrassed a couple of guys like that in the past. Once i ask them why their name didn't match the owner of the place, they became very defensive and i knew there were trying to scam me.

As long as people think CL is the only place to find an apartment in NYC, there will be scammers on CL.I usually get clients after they've been screwed by CL scammers a few times. At that point they realize they should stop calling 25 agents a day and simply use one.

It boils down to what you can deal with!