Brunswick Blog

Let me guess. You and your friends or partner are looking to move, find this place online, and it’s love at first sight. You start planning your future lives there together, check out the amenities nearby, and even discuss what you’re going to name that cat who keeps lurking outside your door. It’s a good feeling.

But then comes the inspection – filled with daunting people you feel are more impressive than you, who are richer than you, and, somehow, have this air that screams they have an unspoken advantage over you – and those once certain dreams start to quickly slip away…

Sound familiar?

It’s grim, sure, but don’t worry; you’re not alone. Ask anyone with a rental history and they’ll all have their tales of tragedies with a similar theme.

And you’re right. It shouldn’t be this hard. You know you’re the ideal candidate(s) for that dream rental of yours, so why aren’t you the one who ends up with your name on the lease? We get it, but here’s the thing: your rivals will think they’re the ideal candidates too, and the landlords and property managers will just have to do their best to find the right fit.

So, what can you do to improve your odds at making them think that best fit is you? Below we have provided some simple strategies on how you can secure that rental you’re after…

 

START WITH YOU

You only get one first impression, so you need to nail it on your inspections. By dressing sharp, arriving early, and acting courteously inside the place you want to make yours can go a long way towards boosting the property manager’s opinion of you. Also, it doesn’t hurt to ask questions. Do your homework to avoid rookie mistakes that’ll make you seem unreliable – something like, ‘What happens if we forget to pay the rent?’ is a prime no-no. Instead, opt for inquiries that will have you looking like a pro: ‘Has there been any recent renovations?’; ‘Are there any scheduled for the near future?’; ‘What is the natural light like in the other seasons of the year?’ Show them you can think!

 

DO YOUR PAPERWORK 

Property managers require a lot of paperwork from you to ensure they have found trustworthy renters. This can include checking payslips, bank statements, citizenships and so forth.

But they very likely will have dozens of properties open at once, which inevitably leads to mountains of potential correspondence to cover. There isn’t enough time in the day for them to chase up what they need from people who haven’t prepared the required documentation. So, naturally, they will look favourably upon applicants who have already compiled their 100 points of identification and financial information, as it will not only lend credit to the applicant’s resourcefulness, but because it will also save the property manager valuable time.

 

TIME IS MONEY

Speaking of saving time, you can go even further on this strategy by opting for an online application. It can be quite tedious and time-consuming, but options like 1form can shave hours off a property manager’s process of sifting through applications, which provides them with more time to look at your application’s worth more intently. They also include boxes with small features about yourself and why you feel the property is good for you. More often than not, these little snippets of personal information alone can ‘seal-the-deal’.

Think about the ideal time for you to move in. Yes, in an ‘ideal’ world, we would all find a place online that will wait patiently until we have taped up all our possessions in...

 

THINK AHEAD  

...cardboard boxes and kissed our mums goodbye. Unfortunately, the rest of the world is back to get in the way of that, as well. For example, if you’re a student travelling interstate for school, you would want to secure a location well before the start of term, as many international students may also be vying for those last minute rentals, generating high competition. The same would be for someone relocating for work, who may set themselves up for many nights in expensive hotels if they are not careful with foresight towards the future.

 

PREPARE FOR WAR

With places like Sydney and Melbourne being ranked as some of the most liveable cities in the world, demand for property is continuing to skyrocket – and so is the price. Renters are walking into inspections now fully prepared to enter into payments higher than what was initially advertised for the property. Even $5 or $10 could sway property managers or landlords to hand over the keys to their properties.

It is also could practise to offer to pay for several months’ rent upfront. Many landlords might refuse this outright for tax purposes, but it goes a long way to show that you are not only willing to allocate your money to this property, but are also readily capable of accessing such a sum at that time. If it’s within your resources, the gesture can be worth it if not just for the extra confidence they will have in you. Show them you mean business!

 

BE READY TO PAY RENT & BOND

On the other hand, sometimes we can be so caught up in our plans for the future that we plan beyond our means. If you are contacted by the property manager, who tells you that your application has been accepted and that they require the first month’s rent and a predetermined bond, they generally only give you 1-2 days to decide. This is because if you ask for time in order to pay, it sends the message that you either cannot muster the funds, or you’re waiting for ‘something better’ on another property. Either way, it’s not a good look, and the property manager will likely move on rather than taking that risk.

 

And now you're armed with the tools needed to help you secure that dream rental! You wouldn't believe how many people don't take the time to fulfill all of the above, so if you make the effort to do all of these things, trust us, your application will already be sitting at the top. 

If you're currently on the hunt for a new place (on the best side of town, Northside...okay we're probably a little biased haha) then check out our newest listings HERE

And remember, if you have any questions at all, you can reach out to Kasey, (Head of our Property Management Team)...buzz her on  0402 500 999  or email her here  [email protected] 

 

Love the RH Brunswick Team Xx 

 

-Written by Bill Smith