A: Thanks for providing a link to the listing you're considering. The attractive, upscale house it advertises certainly looks alluring: a "preforeclosure" offering "huge savings," plus "a great payment takeover program" and "no down payment or credit check."

But you're right to be cautious because some Western Washington renters have been burned renting foreclosures. And this particular online ad is rife with red flags.

Examples: there's a house photo, but no address. There's no mention of a lease requirement and the rent isn't quoted -- just a $200 deposit.

Legitimate landlords provide all that information up front, and as for the deposit, is it a standard security deposit or a $200 application deposit? The ad doesn't say.

Legitimate landlords also won't rent choice properties without a credit check; to do otherwise risks financial ruin.

But the biggest red flag is the "great payment takeover plan." This sounds like you can assume the owner's mortgage. Lenders rarely allow this, so all you're doing is paying rent with no guarantee the owner will use your money to make the mortgage payment.

That puts you at great peril of being evicted if the "preforeclosure" turns into a full-fledged foreclosure.

Bottom line: Be cautious, ask a lot of questions and if a deal looks too good to be true it probably isn't true.