Easily the thing I miss most about the United States is Craigslist. It is simply a brilliant idea, and cultures and countries that haven't embraced it or something like it seem light years behind. A task that would take a few days back home using Craigslist, like finding a decent apartment, takes months without it. And where opportunity exists to exploit the lack of free online communities, some of the worst types lurk waiting to make a buck. Enter Jordanian real estate agents.
Almost all apartment rentals here are handled through real estate agents. Large apartment building in Jordan are not owned by one company, but rather each individual unit is purchased like a condo back in the States. Each building has a guard, almost always Egyptian, and these men are the key to the real estate agents system. As soon as word comes that a tenant is moving out, these guards call the real estate agent they have a relationship with. For this service they are usual given around $8.00 and a couple of packs of smokes. The real estate agent then calls the owner of said unit and says he has clients interested in renting the apartment, and for 5% of one years rent, he will bring them by. The agent also suggests to the apartment owner that they raise their asking price to cover this 5% fee. When this agreement is made the agent is allowed to put a sign out on the deck made to look like a "for rent by owner" sign. Next, the unsuspecting expat calls the number, and the agent meets them at the apartment. It takes a while to understand that these people are not the actual owners. Eventually you find an apartment you like, agree on the price, and find out that this agent, who has done you no service whatsoever, also takes 5% from you, for a total windfall of 10% of the yearly rent price.
The system sucks, and there are very few ways around it. Did I also mention that when you rent apartments here you pay one year in advance! We are still looking for a place, and both Julie and I are getting very jaded. We've come close twice where we agreed on a price and were ready to sign the paperwork. In the first instance the owner wanted us to pay his property tax, and in the second, the owner wanted an additional thousand dollars because after we made the deal someone else offered him more. Are you hearing me Craig Newmark!! Get your ass over here.
Update: One more apartment deal gone bad. After the wife who owns the apartment agreed on a price, the husband called us back hours later saying he didn't approve. Yella!!!
Final Update: Ended up renting a very nice apartment in a very nice section of town. Pictures to follow shortly.
No comments:
Post a Comment