Kareng638 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Hi all, Well have been here for 4 months and have been to countless viewings to be pipped at the post each time due to not having any rental history in Australia and living with my Fiance in the UK who owned his own property! Also can't get my head around what budget I need to set as we have now had to delay my fiance joining us until November. Some people have suggested renting a house and then advertising a room to rent but I am 39 years old and my dog is arriving from the UK at the beginning of August. On a salary of $110k + super, could anyone give me an idea of what i should be looking at realistically and head is spinning. Saw a lovely house for $650 per week in Lane Cove Sydney but I am not sure if I am going to be overstretching myself? I have been very fortunate in that i have lived on site (with my job) since I arrived so have saved approx $10k towards furniture etc. Please help! Driving me insane as I need to move and get settled before pooch arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movingback Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I would wonder if you aren't getting chosen because you have a dog. Lots of dog discrimination here. You should be able to afford 650 on your salary which is very good money (contrary to what many people here will tell you). Try renting privately? Have you looked on gumtree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Can never understand dog discrimination. Children can be just as destructive. Good luck to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Hi Karen, you could try offering to pay a few months rent up front if you have savings, that's how we managed to get chosen as tenants when we first arrived in Sydney with no landlord references. A lump sum often suits the landlord more than monthly payments. I think we paid 4 months in one lump sum (then didn't pay anything until our 5th month). Sometimes people offer a bit over the asking rent too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 They reckon you shouldn't spend more than 30% of your income on rent - above that and it gets a bit more of a struggle. I've no idea how much your weekly take home is but you can work that out. Dog discrimination is a factor - at least kids don't poop in the garden I guess (I'm sure you'll pick it all up and bin it anyway!) but offer several months up front and push your character references (reliable payer, tidy, responsible etc). Sydney is always under pressure unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Hi all, Well have been here for 4 months and have been to countless viewings to be pipped at the post each time due to not having any rental history in Australia and living with my Fiance in the UK who owned his own property! Also can't get my head around what budget I need to set as we have now had to delay my fiance joining us until November. Some people have suggested renting a house and then advertising a room to rent but I am 39 years old and my dog is arriving from the UK at the beginning of August. On a salary of $110k + super, could anyone give me an idea of what i should be looking at realistically and head is spinning. Saw a lovely house for $650 per week in Lane Cove Sydney but I am not sure if I am going to be overstretching myself? I have been very fortunate in that i have lived on site (with my job) since I arrived so have saved approx $10k towards furniture etc. Please help! Driving me insane as I need to move and get settled before pooch arrives. I think that is really weird, even with a dog. You must be doing something not quite right and need to take a fresh look at your approach. We all arrive here with no rental history and many of us arrive with pets, but I have not come across many that take more than a couple of weeks to find a place to live. So my tips.. Try and get some private viewings if you can, if you can be a bit flexible on timing and go along when is convenient for an agent you might get some. Then you can forge the more personal relationship with the agent, they are the ones that will sway whomever gets the property, the landlord will generally take their advice. If you are going to open houses prepare in advance. Download the appplication for each preoperty and fill it in in advance. Then if you like the place, hand it in after the viewing there and then. Also provide them with a copy of your "rental pack" (see below). Prepare a "rental pack", well prepare several copies of a rental pack. The top piece of paper in your rental pack should be your reference about yourself. Who you are, when you moved here, your age, what you do for a living, that you are in full time employment, that you have savings, that you lived in your own home previously etc. You then need to cover off the dog, so explain you have a dog, that he is we'll house trained, but you know landlords can worry so you are happy to pay a "pet bond" and arrange specialist cleaning at the end of the tenancy if required. After your self-reference, include in your pack your identification prof, your contract of employment and evidence of savings. We moved with two cats and this was how I covered off the pet issue. Although I also quickly learned that unless the advertisement specifically says no pets, that many landlords will consider it and it is not as big an issue as I had thought it would be. There are two things a landlord needs to know a) that you will pay the rent on time and b) that you will leave the house in more or less the condition you found it in. Do all you can to show that those two things are covered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzukiscottie Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 +1 for the rental pack. It has worked for us every time. This is your chance to really talk yourself up, and focus on as many positives as you can. We also mentioned that we too are landlords and we included details of our property back home. We also got application forms and filled them all out prior to the house viewing just in case we liked it. Then on the day when you know you have found the right house, complete any details required about the property and hand it to the REA there and then with your "rental pack". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 +1 for the rental pack. It has worked for us every time. Another +1. Some places use 1form.com which means you upload everything there once only. It's worth registering because they prompt you for loads of useful stuff, and once you've got it together anyway you can provide it to any agent you're dealing with. My "pack" was a ZIP file with scanned copies of passport, UK driving licence, proof of current employer and salary, employer's ID card, last 3 payslips before moving to Aus, proof of paying previous rent, recent bank statement from Aus bank, recent bank statement from before moving to Aus, copies of qualification certificates, proof of previous address before Aus, and references from my 2 previous employers. And a cover sheet explaining what everything was. A lot of this had to be produced for the visa application anyway, so I just figured to hit them with everything I had. My first offer was accepted. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareng638 Posted June 7, 2015 Author Share Posted June 7, 2015 Hey, thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice, will take a fresh approach and keep everyone in the loop! Fingers crossed for positive news in the next few weeks! have decided I am going to apply for a house that I am going to look at with a view to taking a house share until my fiance comes, at least that way I am in in some relative control (well as much as I would be in a rental) over who I share with. I am a property manager as well so hopefully that will go in my favour... work in student accommodation though so slightly different market... Keep you posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eera Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 As a landlord of a few properties, I don't get to see a "rental pack" or any other thing you may pass on to the agent; when the agent passes on your details they don't even give me your name, let alone a complete history of your life. I will get a potted summary, for example, a couple of ones I've had are: Family, four kids, dad has own concrete business, on $150k a year, one small outside dog; and Three adults, parents and adult daughter, one child. All adults employed, renting privately for last year, house owners before that. That is quite literally all I get to base a decision on. How would you come across if an agent had to describe you in one line? I want to know, as others have said, that you will pay rent and not trash the joint. It may be that your currently loner status is working against you; if I'm given the option of a couple who are both working, or one person alone then I will choose the couple. Are you telling the agent your partner will be joining you? Landlord insurance (and often, your own insurance if you read the PDS) excludes damage caused by pets to the house, it's not an issue if the pets are kept outside so if you're asked to do that, then please do. The agent often tells me their impressions of you, so take time to say hello and ask a few questions. If you really find yourself being stuck for accommodation you like you may just have to apply for ones you don't and take the first one you're offered. You can always move out after 6 moths, by which time you will have a (hopefully good) rental history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 As a landlord of a few properties, I don't get to see a "rental pack" or any other thing you may pass on to the agent; when the agent passes on your details they don't even give me your name, let alone a complete history of your life. [...] The agent often tells me their impressions of you, so take time to say hello and ask a few questions. Quite. The agents are the gatekeepers. If you can't satisfy their criteria you won't get anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emu Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 At the time I had a letter from my employer showing how much I earned so they could see I could afford the property I applied for. Gave mobile number of my manager in case they wanted to double check salary. Still do that. on first rental I gave them a copy of bank statements to show I had savings in case anything happened to my job. yes to say hello to the agent and ask questions, they see many people they won't remember you if you don't approach them. I often say I'm the one with that accent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janlo Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 We produced a good sound reference from our current agent (we were given notice due to houses sale) this was sent along with a copy of our rental ledger which showed as per advice, to keep payments 2 weeks in advance. I heard the rental ledger was just as important as payslips. We sealed a property with teenagers and a dog. You may have to take somewhere for 6 months to get your foot in the door ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 As a landlord of a few properties, I don't get to see a "rental pack" or any other thing you may pass on to the agent; when the agent passes on your details they don't even give me your name, let alone a complete history of your life. I will get a potted summary, for example, a couple of ones I've had are: Family, four kids, dad has own concrete business, on $150k a year, one small outside dog; and Three adults, parents and adult daughter, one child. All adults employed, renting privately for last year, house owners before that. That is quite literally all I get to base a decision on. How would you come across if an agent had to describe you in one line? I want to know, as others have said, that you will pay rent and not trash the joint. It may be that your currently loner status is working against you; if I'm given the option of a couple who are both working, or one person alone then I will choose the couple. Are you telling the agent your partner will be joining you? Landlord insurance (and often, your own insurance if you read the PDS) excludes damage caused by pets to the house, it's not an issue if the pets are kept outside so if you're asked to do that, then please do. The agent often tells me their impressions of you, so take time to say hello and ask a few questions. If you really find yourself being stuck for accommodation you like you may just have to apply for ones you don't and take the first one you're offered. You can always move out after 6 moths, by which time you will have a (hopefully good) rental history. Nobody said the rental pack is for you. :wink: It it is definitely for the estate agent with the intention of putting the applicant to the top of the list. We did one and I am sure it is how we got agents onside, despite having two cats. I remember my OH telling me that the agent had said they were going to tell the owner to go with us and the owner would "do as he recommended". Agree that OP definitely needs to be looking for a place on the understanding there are two of them not just herself. Although they do expect both to sign the lease so I am not sure how that would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareng638 Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 I GOT A HOUSE!!!! Thanks everyone for your advice, house viewed, applied, secured and confirmed today and pick up keys on Friday!!!!! Found a fantastic agent, happy to pass on details to anyone else searching in Sydney! Took all the stress out of it for me!! Whoop, new house, dog arrives in 43 days, can get it all organised before he arrives! Excited, muchly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.