Why are some James Island renters paying thousands of dollars just to see an apartment?

Reports of renters paying a large fee just to view a unit usually describe a broker charging an upfront fee separate from any standard leasing commission, a practice worth questioning before paying anything without a clear, written explanation of what the fee covers. Whether this specific pattern is currently happening on James Island is not something to confirm secondhand. Brian can tell you what a normal, legitimate rental process on James Island should actually look like.