Staying cautious and conducting thorough research can help you avoid falling prey to travel nurse housing scams. To determine the legitimacy of a house that you as a traveler want to rent, consider using the following resources:

• Online Rental Platforms: Utilize reputable online rental platforms like Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, or Apartments.com to verify the property’s listing, details, and reviews.
• Local Real Estate Agencies: Connect with local real estate agencies to confirm the property’s availability, ownership, and rental legitimacy.
• County Property Records: Research county property records through official government websites to validate ownership, recent sales, and property history.
• Better Business Bureau (BBB): Check the BBB website to ensure the property management company or landlord doesn’t have any complaints or negative reviews.
• Local Government Websites: Visit local government websites to access property tax records, zoning information, and official rental registrations. Familiarize yourself with local rental laws and regulations to ensure the rental agreement is compliant and legally binding.
• Online Mapping Services: Use tools like Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze, MapQuest, Here to verify the property’s location and surroundings, ensuring they match the listing’s description.
• Tenant Associations: Consult local tenant associations or organizations to gather information about the property and its management.
• Social Media and Forums: Join local community forums, Facebook groups, or neighborhood pages like Nextdoor to seek advice and gather insights about the property.
• Property Management Websites: If the property is managed by a professional management company, visit their official website to verify the listing’s accuracy.
• Personal Visits: Whenever possible, visit the property in person or arrange for a video tour to ensure it matches the details provided.
• Reviews, Testimonials, Recommendations: Look for reviews and testimonials from previous tenants on social media, reviews platforms like Tripadvisor, Apartment Ratings, Google reviews, dedicated housing platforms and whenever possible personal recommendations from a friend or colleague.
• Trust your instinct: Most importantly, based on your research listen to your gut. That uneasy feeling in your stomach even though everything looks perfect may be there for a reason.

By using these resources, you can perform a thorough check to confirm the legitimacy of a house before renting it, ensuring a safe and comfortable housing experience as a travel nurse or allied healthcare professional.

Further reading: Savvy Traveler’s guide to House Hunting: 12 Warning Signals of a Scam