I'm an international student and am looking for a rental apartment in Nagoya from abroad. I don't speak Japanese and not being in Japan makes things really hard. I've found this place but I'm really scared it's a scam, so I hope you guys can either warn me or reassure me!
While looking on RealEstateJapan I've found this pretty apartment, new, furnished and in a quite nice building. It's 67.000¥ rent for a 30m² room with bathroom, bed, kitchenette and balcony. I've applied from there and the next day this guy texts me saying he's from the owner's staff, not agency. He explained me a few things about the property: no keymoney, no deposit, and the move-in costs he mentioned seemed okay. He also said it's possible to sign a contract online as longs as I submit my passport page. The conversation itself seemed okay and we planned a videotour of the house for tomorrow.
What makes me doubt is that it seems like he will choose me without even screening me. Is it normal?
I'm obviously at my first experience looking for places in Japan, but this one looks way too good to be true. And then, the fact that he's not from an agency.
The time is running out and I'm truly scared I'm wasting my time in a scammer or worse, losing money. What questions should I ask to make sure his intentions are real? What should I be aware of?
Thank you in advance 🙂
by ArmonyBell