promise to rent--change my mind--can I be sue?

I promised a person that I was going to rent him my apartment. We agreed on the date he could move in and he gave me a check with a security deposit and the first month rent. He is in a hotel waiting for me to move out on the date we agreed. He stopped looking for an apart, since I promised him that I will rent my apart to him. I also let him move his furniture in my apart last week.
I changed my mind and do not want to rent my apart to him. No specific reason...I just got a better offer for the apart. He has threatened me that he will go to a lawyer and go to court if needed. We never signed any lease yet.
Can he sue me? Can he make me pay for his hotel fees? Is there a case here? Does verbal agreement gives him any right? The property is in VA.
Please help....thanks a lot.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by emem:
I promised a person that I was going to rent him my apartment. We agreed on the date he could move in and he gave me a check with a security deposit and the first month rent. He is in a hotel waiting for me to move out on the date we agreed. He stopped looking for an apart, since I promised him that I will rent my apart to him. I also let him move his furniture in my apart last week.
I changed my mind and do not want to rent my apart to him. No specific reason...I just got a better offer for the apart. He has threatened me that he will go to a lawyer and go to court if needed. We never signed any lease yet.
Can he sue me? Can he make me pay for his hotel fees? Is there a case here? Does verbal agreement gives him any right? The property is in VA.
Please help....thanks a lot. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, yes, yes and yes. And if I was in his position, I would sue you too. Do yourself a favor, stop the greed and do not go back on your word.