Bobcat

I have had 5 rental properties available in the last 2 months; at each viewing i had in excess of 15 couples............. and i got 8 or 9 applications for each property (all NOR). Several applicants took it upon themselves to put on the application form they were willing to pay up to $100 per week over the asking price. From an Agent's point of view............ I don't like this gazumping. Someone on here says the demand for rentals is dropping off; that definitely is not the case in the suburbs I have advertised rentals.

It depends on the circumstances. I have a rental coming up in Banksia Grove. The owners were supposed to move out today; they were to spend this weekend cleaning the rental property........... I was hoping to do the first viewing on Monday arvo............ and it would have been ready to let-out once checks had been made on the applicants. As it has turned out, the owners can't move out today as there is a hold-up with Settlement concerning the new place they have purchased from us. They are now making plans to move next Saturday so we will do our first viewing next week, all being well the new tenants can move into the property within a few days of them having a look at it.......... and filling in the plethora of forms. If we have a rental on our books that is vacant............... it's a fairly simple procedure. 1) Advertise a viewing (usually just on the Net with things being as they are at present) 2) Hand out application forms at that viewing 3) Run checks next day on applications received 4) Hand applications to Landlord for them to make a decision 5) Meet up with new tenants and go over a Lease Schedule with them.......... they receive the keys once 4 week's Bond Money and 2 weeks rent in advance is received. The lousiest part of this job is having to notify the rest of the applicants that their application was unsuccessful.

We live on 5 acres in Carramar................ we are only allowed 2 dogs. I have a client who has come over here from Sydney with 4 very small dogs; he tried to obtain one of our rental properties but each time various Landlords knocked him back. In the end he did manage to secure a rental out at Yanchep complete with 4 dogs.............. however; should the relevant Authorities find out i am pretty sure he will be compelled to find alternative homes for two of his dogs. He recently began looking for alternative rentals as he has enrolled his daughter in a private school in a different area. Thus far he has applied for 17 rental properties; all described as pet-friendly.......... unfortunately he has been knocked back 17 times........... and all have cited the 4 dogs as being the reason he was knocked back. He now has the choice of staying where he is in Yanchep.............. and praying the neighbours don't dob him in for having 4 dogs; or alternatively he may want to return to Sydney where he owns a home.

Price does come into it. Generally speaking.....the cheaper the property........... the more applicants we have. I recently had a Quinns Rocks property available at $700 per week............. had 14 lots at the first viewing; only got 3 applicants. Same property may come up again next month as current tenants have indicated they may be moving out ............. will be interesting to see how much interest we garner this time around? I had a rental in Connolly at the beginning of this year............... I showed a corporate tenant through prior to first planned scheduled viewing............ they snapped it up at $650 per week. Over the next few days I got a further 9 applicants who had seen the ad on-line prior to me removing it. I agree with you; the rental market as-is; is crazy.

Thank you It's all a question of supply and demand................. At the moment the rental market in Perth is going mental. It's not uncommon for us to get more than a dozen couples at each viewing; and we are usually receiving 8 or 9 applications for each proeprty. Some would-be tenants are even prepared to offer us over and above what the asking price is in rent per week. Hopefully the market will have settled down by the time you arrive over here? In answer to your question about viewing times; we tend to open our rental properties mid-week for 30 to 45 minutes. If we needed a second opening we would probably do it on a Saturday morning at 11:00am. With the way things are at the moment; we haven't needed any second openings. I have just listed a nice house in Banksia Grove; we aren't ready to do a viewing yet as the owner is in the process of moving out. We are asking $460 per week for this property which is quite a hefty rent for the area, already I have had 17 requests to view............ and 3 requests to take the property on sight unseen! The owner will move out on Tuesday next week so hopefully we can arrange our first viewing on Wednesday afternoon. Despite the high rental of $460 per week; I'll probably get 20 couples through? Best of luck when you do arrive.

No worries........... my response was tongue in cheek. We have to be pretty thick skinned in this profession........... and I am now in my 13th year. The rental market is pretty tight at present; we are getting more than a dozen couples at each viewing. Tenants need to remember; it's the Landlords who make the final decision as to which tenant gets the rental property............. not the Agent. To be honest............... some Property Managers think they are God-like creatures. Unfortunately we came across several of those when we rented in Wanneroo whilst we built in Carramar. When we opened up our own Real Estate Agency in Carramar; we made a vow none of our tenants would be treated the same way we were when we were tenants. We also made a vow too to look after the Landlord's property. We entrusted the management of our own rental properties to other Agents in the past.......... and they were absolutely 'kin useless. Best of luck with your rental endeavours, hope all goes well for you. Cheers John Mason

Nice to know that I am absolutely useless.

We had them visit our office here in Carramar as they approached one of my sales reps with a view to us starting an affiliation with them. We were warned off having anything to do with them as they were at that time under investigation by the old REBA Board. As such we opted not to take it any further, wished them all the best as long as everything they did was above board and legal.

We just received the following here in wA :- Promoters of “rent to buy” deals acted illegally Bureau AUSTRALIA To promote, protect and further the interest of its publisher members; to encourage high standards of advertising and to provide an advisory service and reference point for its members on industry regulation and advertising matters “ “ JUNE 2012 The Supreme Court has ruled that a ‘rent to buy’ property scheme operating in WA was illegal because the promoters are not licensed real estate agents, and had misled consumers. The landmark ruling by the Supreme Court declared that unlicensed promoters of a rent to buy scheme, No Loan Home Pty Ltd, its sole director Filip (Fil) Butkovic and employee Nikola (Nik) Butkovic, of Nedlands, had engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct. No Loan Home Pty Ltd, the proprietor of the business Perth’s Easyhomes WA, has been restrained from advertising and promoting the scheme or entering into any further rent to buy transactions without first obtaining a real estate agent’s licence under the Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978. The Supreme Court ruled that the ‘rent to buy’ transactions are real estate transactions for the purposes of the Act. The judgment, handed down by Master Sanderson on 30 May 2012, supported the Commissioner’s allegation that the promoters had also breached the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) by misleading potential purchasers regarding the future value of the property, the potential equity that they are able to build up over a four to five year period and their ability to obtain finance at the end of this period. The company’s website and advertising material makes misleading representations as to future property values without setting out the basis for these estimates. Under the scheme being promoted by No Loan Home, the buyer pays an ‘Upfront Option Fee’ to the business of about $15,000, as well as an ‘Ongoing Option Fee’, a proportion of which is to be credited towards the final purchase of the property. The buyer is required to sign a tenancy agreement with the seller in which rent is payable until the end of the contract period, usually four years, when the option to purchase is to be exercised. Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Gary Newcombe, said the landmark ruling in this case now has implications for all promoters of rent to buy schemes, and Consumer Protection are looking into other similar schemes. “The Supreme Court supported Consumer Protection’s belief that the promoters of these schemes were engaging in real estate transactions so were required to be licensed and were therefore operating outside the law,” Mr Newcombe said.

Give David Motram of Thane Finance a bell. He is a PIO member and should be able to point you in the right direction. His number is 0466 693 721 He used to live in Carramar but has now moved to Aveley. He is a mobile lender and can come to you. We use him all the time and find him to be good value. Good luck John

Buying selling investing real estate wanneroo perth western australia Have a good look round in April; get your bearings and determine which suburbs you would like to live in........... and which you wouldn't. Pop round to our Carramar office for a cuppa when you get downunder. Regards John

It is possible to secure a rental whilst still in the UK; but not advisable. Same applies to buying a property sight unseen. Properties can look u-beaut and really fantastic on a webpage........... my advise is that you get over here first and do a drive-by of the areas, check out the house, then make a decision. We had tenants come over direct from the UK and rent a property in Carramar from our Agency, as it was the house was just perfect re location, size, and condition ............ but I would have rather they viewed same prior to signing up a long lease just on the off-chance things weren't up to scrtch when they arrived. Contrary to what some media outlets report; the rental market at present is geared towards the tenants. There are a lot of properties available and whereas 5 or 6 weeks ago we were getting 9, 10, or maybe 11 couples at our 30 minute viewings .............. we now seem to be only attracting 2 or 3 couples. Last Saturday was a total disaster in terms of would-be tenants turning up to view, we did 5 planned Home Opens in various suburbs NOR ............ and not one single viewer turned up at any of them! That's never happenend before. I know the Sales side of things is currently pretty flat, but re Rentals I've never before had 5 Home Opens and not one person turn up. Sorry we don't have anything available in Morley or Embleton. We currently have rentals available in Balga, Greenwood, Banksia Grove, and Tapping. Good luck.