As the Pacific Northwest hosts the second of the four major golf championships next month, Better Business Bureau wants to make sure fans stay on course when it comes to buying tickets and renting homes. The week-long championship will take place at Chambers Bay Golf Course, and 30,000 fans are expected to attend each day from June 15-21.

Many local homeowners plan to rent their homes to tournament attendees, and some are renting out their property for RV parking. There will be those who handle the transaction on their own, and others will hire a property management company. Either way, BBB advises homeowners to keep the following in mind:

• Taxes: According to the Washington State Department of Revenue, retail taxes must be collected when working with a real estate professional. Homeowners renting out three or more properties on their own must also collect tax.
• Insurance: Homeowners insurance policies may not cover damages by a renter or tenant. Check to see if special coverage for short-term rentals is necessary.
• Prepare for renters: Start with an application and conduct background and credit checks. Use a detailed rental agreement and collect a security deposit. Remove valuables and conduct a final walk-through before the tenants arrive. Change all the locks after the tenants leave.
• For those hiring a professional: Check the real estate company’s BBB Business Review at bbb.org before signing a contract or paying a fee. Be wary if up-front fees are required, especially via wire transfer or money order. Make sure the company is licensed with Washington State Department of Licensing. Get everything in writing and read the fine print.

BBB also has tips for fans looking for a place to stay during the tournament:

• Use a travel agent. Many agents have experience with rentals, and they can act as an advocate if something goes wrong.
• Check it out in advance. Verify claims about the location, facilities and views. Those traveling here from far away could ask a local friend or relative to scope out the property on their behalf.
• Pay with a credit card. Never pay a stranger with cash or a wire transfer. If fraud occurs or the property ends up being unavailable, a chargeback can be initiated through the credit card company. Those who use cash may be out of luck.

Tickets for the championship rounds sold out in February, and as of today, only practice round tickets remain. Fans are now turning to the Internet in search of tickets from reseller websites or other secondary markets, such as Craigslist.

In light of the recent Super Bowl ticket fiasco, in which a reseller failed to deliver on tickets purchased by Washington consumers, BBB urges consumers to use caution when browsing for tickets on the secondary market.

• Go to a trustworthy site. Look for ticket resellers at bbb.org and check their complaint history. Carefully review the reseller’s guarantees on what they’ll do if the ticket doesn’t arrive in time or is counterfeit.
• Look for red flags. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. If someone is offering downloadable or printable tickets, walk away—all U.S. Open tickets are “hard tickets,” meaning there are no electronic versions.
• Purchase by credit card. In the event that the ticket is not delivered in time or turns out to be counterfeit, consumers may be able to initiate a chargeback with their credit card company.