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By Maggie Alderson, The Sydney Morning Herald
The rental market can be fiercely competitive, so the tactics for
finding and landing a good property have changed.
 When
you decide to move, tell everyone you know that you are looking for
a new place especially friends who live in buildings you like, as
they may know if someone is moving out shortly.
Many
people waste time asking about places they have already seen, because
they don't keep notes. Keep track of the ones you've looked at so
you'll recognise them in the coming weeks.
It's worth taking a couple of Saturdays, before you start looking in earnest, to look at the type of places that are being offered in your preferred suburbs and the rents being asked, so you get a feel for the market.
Leasing is a competitive sport. Be prepared to complete an application on the day you see a property. People who take until the following Wednesday to get their act together often miss out.
For your application to succeed, you will need to look good on paper, as well as making a favourable impression on the agent (shiny shoes, etc). Get references from your employer and previous landlord. Take copies to inspections, ready to attach to your application.
If you really love a place, whip out your chequebook and offer a holding deposit on the spot. This shows you are serious. If you miss out, the deposit will be refunded.
To complete an application, you need your current address and phone number, your employer's details and the same for your previous landlord and for two referees. You'll also need a clear idea of how soon you would be able to take up the lease (usually, the sooner the better).
The main things that put landlords off are a short time spent in your current home and a short time in your current job. If these affect you, make sure your references address these shortcomings. For young would-be tenants who may be leaving home for the first time and have just started their first job, character references from respected types (university professors, executives from work experience placements, etc) will be helpful.
The other big no-no is pets. To try to get round this, some devoted owners get references for their pets from current neighbours. A letter (including the neighbour's phone number) saying "Tinky Winky is a good little dog, which doesn't bark, attack children or poo in other people's backyards" is worth having.
| And
remember, landlords do check references thoroughly, so don't
make them up and make sure you ask people in advance if you
can use their names, so they aren't thrown by an unexpected
call. "Who?" won't help you much. |
Make a checklist of the things that really matter to you built-ins, high ceilings, parking, an internal laundry. Finding a home is a very emotional process and this can prevent you getting bowled over by one feature of a place (ooh look! a fireplace/window seat/three-car garage) and not realising until you are about to sign the lease that it has no kitchen cupboards.
Measure your major pieces of furniture and take a tape measure to inspections. You are wasting everybody's time if you make an application for a place and then realise your sofa will have to sit on top of your dining table.
Tip for fellow clothes hoarders: measure all your hanging rails. Make sure that a potential new home has at least that much, or room to put in an extra wardrobe (or two). |
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