I’ve been burned twice now, once with a listing that looked nothing like the photos, once with a place that technically “existed” but the neighborhood was nothing like described.

I’ve started trying to find locals on Facebook groups to do a quick walkthrough before I book, but it’s inconsistent and awkward to ask strangers.

Curious what other nomads do for this. Is there a reliable service or method that actually works? Would you pay for something like a 10-minute verification video from a local before committing to a month-long rental?