Rental scams
How do I check that a property management company is real?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Find the company yourself instead of trusting the listing. Check for a working website, a real office and reviews going back years, and look it up in your state's business and real estate licensing records. Then call the number on its website and ask whether the listing, and the person contacting you, are genuine.
- Website and email: a real company emails from its own domain. Be wary of lookalike domains and free email addresses.
- Licensing: many states require property managers to hold a real estate or property management license, and the state licensing board usually offers a free lookup.
- Business records: search the state business registry for the company name and when it was formed.
- Reviews: look for reviews from past tenants on several sites, not just a handful of perfect ones.
- Office: check the address on a map. A home address or mailbox store for a company that says it manages many units is worth questioning.
Scammers sometimes pose as a real management company, using its name and logo with a different phone number or email. That's why calling a number you found independently matters more than how professional the listing looks.
A real company will also have a standard application, a written lease and a payment method that leaves a record.
Want the whole picture? Read How To Avoid Housing Scams.