Find house before arrive?

[NikkiC]

Hi all,

Just wondered if its easier to find a house to rent before moving to Adelaide or wait until we arrive? We can stay with family when we arrive if needed.

Also what experience has anyone had with renting furnished houses? Is the furniture ok?! Our stuff will be arriving after us so unsure what to do- get furnished or unfurnished? 

Many thanks! Nikki  

 

[Quoll]

You're not likely to be able to rent anything more than a holiday let or serviced apartment before you arrive. Estate agents want to eyeball you as prospective tenants and, tbh, you really do want to see the place you are signing up for. What you see on Realestate.com is definitely not what you get!

[NikkiC]

Oh, ok thank you- I thought you could arrange the rental before arriving- maybe some do? 

And yes, I would prefer to see it however I thought they can't lie THAT much, can they?!! 

[calNgary]

You can arrange short term furnished rentals prior to arrival, but its very difficult and very unwise to arrange a longer term rental without seeing it first and the agent seeing you. If your furniture is due to arrive not long after you, i would save the money on a furnished place ,stay with family and start applying for unfurnished rentals straight away.

Cal x

[NikkiC]

Ok, thanks Cal. That is what I'm thinking will be the best option

 

[Guest]

You'd be surprised how different a property can look in reality compared to pictures on the internet. There's sometimes a vast difference and generally they are must worst than you think. Best to look once you are here. Especially as you can't see what the street area looks like beforehand. Usually a street with houses or gardens not well looked after gives a good indication of what the area is like if you get my drift. 

[Guest]

Am in Adelaide. And if you have the opportunity to stay with family first, do so. 

I say this as

a) agree with the above, lots of properties listed to rent have old old photos of when the house may have been semi decent and so are very misleading 

b) Many agents won't deal with people until they are in the country.

c) Areas matter a lot. Pick the wrong area and you are stuck in a rental for a year (6 month leases are rare) and it could spoil the start of your attempt to settle here. 

d) Most everyone is faced with needing some furniture while they wait. Most opt for a short term holiday let while they look and find a longer term lease. Usually 3-4 weeks in the holiday let. Then they tend to make do with bits and pieces till their container arrives. Easy to pick stuff up at garage sales, off gumtree and so on. Also doing things like buying an outdoor table and chairs and using them as your dining table inside for a few weeks is handy. Plus lots of places for cheap bits, Ikea, Target, Kmart, op shops. 

e) Furnished rentals for the entire duration waiting for your shipping are pricey and IMHO not worth it. 

Also renting in advance of arriving, how will you know if the ares is for you, if its even an appealing area to your eyes and so on? What may look a lovely suburb on google maps might turn into a bit of a disaster if you happen to rent just off a busy main road and hear traffic 24/7 or are under a flight path for the airport or some such. Far better to be here, checking out areas and so on. More so if you have kids and schools are an important factor. 

Adelaide is a vast sprawl when you also take in the greater metropolitan area. It goes on for miles. Getting it as right as possible to start off is important. Sure you may move 6-12 months down the track to somewhere else that suits better and/or you like more, but at least be somewhere you like to start off, that works in a practical way also rather than being somewhere you hate or find issues with. 

 

[Guest]

15 hours ago, NikkiC said:

Oh, ok thank you- I thought you could arrange the rental before arriving- maybe some do? 

And yes, I would prefer to see it however I thought they can't lie THAT much, can they?!! 

Pictures sure do lie a lot.

I've seen pics for rentals where they must be years old as items are no longer in the house, the walls were white but actually now dingy yellow and so on. Also things like mould and damp won't be seen. Nor will the floor plan often either so you may find the house layout horrible.

Keep in mind many Aus houses have bedrooms at the front and side and living at the back. It catches some out. Also the master bedroom is often well away from other bedrooms (another thing to get your head round if you have young kids and are used to their rooms close by). 

I'd never rent anywhere I'd not seen in person. I'd even not go on husbands say so, though he has gone on mine in the past. He wouldn't notice things like lack of power points in the kitchen, lack of storage space or lighting in a room whereas I would. If it would annoy me long term its a no whereas for him, he'd be oblivious as he'd not be using many of those things as I would. 

 

[Skani]

17 hours ago, NikkiC said:

And yes, I would prefer to see it however I thought they can't lie THAT much, can they?!! 

They can be very canny in they way they take photos - eg. so that rooms appear much larger than they are in reality...  or from such an angle that you can't see that important areas of of the house are overlooked by neighbours.  Or they omit important information altogether.  I was recently looking with a friend who wanted a decent sized yard for active young children.  We checked it out first on Google Earth and it looked ideal....until we arrived to find a a building approval for  a separate  residence in the large yard...and the renters would effectively be living on a building site for months.  No mention of this in the "to rent" advertisement.

So, as above, I think it's too risky to rent anywhere I'd not seen in person.  

[CliffnAl]

Can we sign with an agent before we arrive to start shortlisting rental properties? If so do you recommend any particular agents?


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[Guest]

1 hour ago, CliffnAl said:

Can we sign with an agent before we arrive to start shortlisting rental properties? If so do you recommend any particular agents?


Sent from my iPad using PomsinOz

I'd not bother tbh. At least not if you are coming to Adelaide. Rentals turn over very quickly if they are in decent areas or in demand and agents can shift them quickly. Also there are so many agents. Much depends on areas you like and so on. 

Rental opens are just that too. Open house so all interested parties wander in during the half hour and look round and if they like it and want it, they fill out an application then and there and submit it. 

I'd wait till you are here as what you are looking at 2 weeks before you arrive won't be listed when you do land. 

[CliffnAl]

Thanks for that. At least we have somewhere to stay for 6 weeks when we arrive so that's half the problem sorted.


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[ZoeTaylor]

Hi there

We are arriving in Adelaide on 3rd Jan and have an airbnb booked until the end of the month - in which time we need to find a rental for a 12 month period.  My hubby doesn't start work until the end of Feb and as of now, I don't have a job.  We have plenty of savings to get us through, but I'm worried about what we will need to secure a rental property - does anyone have any advice as to what they will want please?  I can always screen shot savings etc - thoughts?

Thanks.

Zoe

[Smudger88]

6 minutes ago, ZoeTaylor said:

Hi there

We are arriving in Adelaide on 3rd Jan and have an airbnb booked until the end of the month - in which time we need to find a rental for a 12 month period.  My hubby doesn't start work until the end of Feb and as of now, I don't have a job.  We have plenty of savings to get us through, but I'm worried about what we will need to secure a rental property - does anyone have any advice as to what they will want please?  I can always screen shot savings etc - thoughts?

Thanks.

Zoe

Hi Zoe,

I am in a similar position, looking to be in Adelaide at the end of this year beginning of next. I am looking to go out before the wife and children to look for schools and house, but just don't know where to start!

Good luck with the move and keep me posted and share anything useful if you don't mind?

Cheers,

Paul

[ZoeTaylor]

Just now, Smudger88 said:

Hi Zoe,

I am in a similar position, looking to be in Adelaide at the end of this year beginning of next. I am looking to go out before the wife and children to look for schools and house, but just don't know where to start!

Good luck with the move and keep me posted and share anything useful if you don't mind?

Cheers,

Paul

Hi Paul

Good luck to you too.  Do you have a job to go to?  I presume you've looked on realestate.com.au? Have just read on another forum thread the following:-

If it's a property you think you would definitely like them I suggest downloading an application form and completing it before you view the property. Also take a copy of your passports, visa, bank statement if you have a good balance, employment contract if you have one. I would also include a covering letter saying you have just arrived in Australia, what your occupations are and a little about yourself. 

Seems like good advice - if you hear anything else, please do share and I'll do the same.

Zoe

[Smudger88]

Just now, ZoeTaylor said:

Hi Paul

Good luck to you too.  Do you have a job to go to?  I presume you've looked on realestate.com.au? Have just read on another forum thread the following:-

If it's a property you think you would definitely like them I suggest downloading an application form and completing it before you view the property. Also take a copy of your passports, visa, bank statement if you have a good balance, employment contract if you have one. I would also include a covering letter saying you have just arrived in Australia, what your occupations are and a little about yourself. 

Seems like good advice - if you hear anything else, please do share and I'll do the same.

Zoe

Hi Zoe,

Yes, I've been spending too much time looking at realestate.com.au website, but if this thread is anything to go by, the pictures may not do it justice. My biggest problem is deciding on an area, its got to have good schools for my 13 and 8 yr olds, other than that I will be happy (as I won't be in the UK!). Any ideas on that??

That advice seems really good.

Looks like we will be looking for a house at the same time...........

I don't have a job as yet, as soon as my house exchanges I can hand my notice in at my current work, which is 3 months unfortunately, and then I will be looking in vain. Albeit a bit worried about the job market.

If I get any info I will keep you posted.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[ZoeTaylor]

1 minute ago, Smudger88 said:

Hi Zoe,

Yes, I've been spending too much time looking at realestate.com.au website, but if this thread is anything to go by, the pictures may not do it justice. My biggest problem is deciding on an area, its got to have good schools for my 13 and 8 yr olds, other than that I will be happy (as I won't be in the UK!). Any ideas on that??

That advice seems really good.

Looks like we will be looking for a house at the same time...........

I don't have a job as yet, as soon as my house exchanges I can hand my notice in at my current work, which is 3 months unfortunately, and then I will be looking in vain. Albeit a bit worried about the job market.

If I get any info I will keep you posted.

Cheers,

Paul

 

Hi

We don't have children so not sure I can help on the schools - we are looking for something between the beach and CBD (along with everyone else I reckon!)

Yes, we'll be looking in January - we'll have to find something for 1st Feb or will be sleeping on the beach!

Good luck with it all!

Zoe

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Smudger88 said:

Hi Zoe,

I am in a similar position, looking to be in Adelaide at the end of this year beginning of next. I am looking to go out before the wife and children to look for schools and house, but just don't know where to start!

Good luck with the move and keep me posted and share anything useful if you don't mind?

Cheers,

Paul

Schools are on summer holidays during your arrival time. So won't be open to view till the week before the new school year at the start of Feb begins. And without pupils so perhaps hard to get a good overall feel for. 

Do you have any sort of idea of work, areas, a want/wish list in terms of area? 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, ZoeTaylor said:

Hi

We don't have children so not sure I can help on the schools - we are looking for something between the beach and CBD (along with everyone else I reckon!)

Yes, we'll be looking in January - we'll have to find something for 1st Feb or will be sleeping on the beach!

Good luck with it all!

Zoe

It's summer hols for many so the rental market may slow down as many are away. However some could be some moving over the break.

Lots of slow down in other areas (job market usually slow that time of year) so perhaps there will be a knock on effect with choice in the rental market.

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Smudger88 said:

Hi Zoe,

Yes, I've been spending too much time looking at realestate.com.au website, but if this thread is anything to go by, the pictures may not do it justice. My biggest problem is deciding on an area, its got to have good schools for my 13 and 8 yr olds, other than that I will be happy (as I won't be in the UK!). Any ideas on that??

That advice seems really good.

Looks like we will be looking for a house at the same time...........

I don't have a job as yet, as soon as my house exchanges I can hand my notice in at my current work, which is 3 months unfortunately, and then I will be looking in vain. Albeit a bit worried about the job market.

If I get any info I will keep you posted.

Cheers,

Paul

 

Please start a new thread in our South Australia forum. More so as many who might be able to offer input may it see it there, plus you are asking one person on here, open it up to as many eyes as possible and the forum at large if you want more potential feedback and input  

Also we have our sister site, Poms in Adelaide with far more in depth on Adelaide.

https://www.pomsinadelaide.com/

[Smudger88]

On 24/08/2017 at 11:40, snifter said:

Please start a new thread in our South Australia forum. More so as many who might be able to offer input may it see it there, plus you are asking one person on here, open it up to as many eyes as possible and the forum at large if you want more potential feedback and input  

Also we have our sister site, Poms in Adelaide with far more in depth on Adelaide.

https://www.pomsinadelaide.com/

Hi Snifter,

For some reason I am unable to login to poms in  adelaide. 

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, Smudger88 said:

Hi Snifter,

For some reason I am unable to login to poms in  adelaide. 

Cheers,

Paul

 

Have you registered an account there? Your username and password from here won't work, you need a new one as it's it's own forum IYKWIM.

[Smudger88]

7 minutes ago, snifter said:

Have you registered an account there? Your username and password from here won't work, you need a new one as it's it's own forum IYKWIM.

I had a while back, but I have now re-registered as I was having problems with the password.

I will now refer there for Adelaide specifics. 

Many thanks

Paul

[Guest]

You can refer here too just you may find more info there relative to Adelaide  

[Smudger88]

7 minutes ago, snifter said:

You can refer here too just you may find more info there relative to Adelaide  

Yeah, I'm looking through there too.

There is just so much (subjective) information. It's good, but I am still like a rabbit in the headlights!

Will post on there.