Looking for a house never was so tough during anytime in my life. I had a couple of constraints with me – mainly it was financial, and then, locality. Normally a decent place will start with AU$ 200 per week, and it can be AU$400 also if it is a double bed room apartment. I am talking about the unfurnished apartments only. If you are looking for a furnished one, you are looking at paying around AU$ 475 and above.
As for locality, we prefer to stay near the office, and at the same time stay around the railway station.
Again, normal bond (deposit ) is 4 weeks rent and you have to pay two weeks advance. Most of the apartments are leased through agents( brokers) only. They say leasing for renting here ! Crazy people !
The process starts with you searching the net in some sites and giving them a call, or you just walking in to their office. Again, you can also call the number seeing any board in front of an apartment saying ‘For Lease’.
The problem starts slowly. You find a place which suits you - by net, by seeing the board or seeing in their office – you give them your contact details, and they will say they will get back to you. This getting back will take 24 hours, just to check whether it is still available ! Again, if you act smart by telling 3-4 options in the list so that you have got more chances of getting one, then they will outsmart you by being silent, as they get confused :). This is common for all real estate agents in Australia ( they are just like our brokers, they got their level and speak in that language only), I have tried most of them by now. For the net queries, normally it takes a fortnight for you to get a response. I responded for some 20 apartments in net to different agents, all the responses I got was 2 ! I am not sure where they are having the problem, in finding someone who could read and write, in browsing net or just a problem to work !
There is another point here. You don’t have to pay anything to the agents. They will take you to the apartment, and show it. If all goes fine, and once you have signed the lease agreement ( it is normally 6 months to 1 year), you pay the first two weeks in advance along with the deposit( that is normally 4 weeks, and is paid to the Rental bond board). So, this first two weeks rent is the brokerage for them. After that only you start paying to the landlord !
All I had was a map of my area and was clear of my boundaries – that is from where walking is feasible to get to office and railway station by walk.
I applied all three ways for finding a house, but this fast and smart real estate agents kept me searching, checking and following up for a week ! I think, that is a big period because there is demand and there is supply too. Then, I have no clue why these stupid, lazy anti-catalysts are slowing down the process in the middle !
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