Roxburgh Park Blog

Tips on How to Secure a Rental Property

 

IF YOU feel like searching for a rental is becoming harder and harder, you’re not wrong.

More and more Australians are being forced to rent for longer, thanks to skyrocketing house prices, resulting in a shortage of rental supply and rising rents in some of our capital cities.

In Melbourne, young people are being forced to live with their parents or pack into a sharehouse like sardines because they can’t break into the rental market, with renters citing “queues out the door” and landlords asking for extra rent to secure the property.

A real estate agency in Sydney said their agents have seen some property punters offer up to $150 per week more than the advertised price to secure a property.

So how, in a time when competition is furious, can you make yourself stand out when searching for a rental? And hopefully avoid having to pay hundreds of dollars extra a week.

  •  WRITE A COVER LETTER

You write a cover letter to let a potential employer know a little bit more about you and why you’re right for the job, so apply that logic when applying for a rental. One renter told news.com.au that when house hunting for the first property she was going to share with her partner, she wrote a cover letter briefly explaining they were two young professionals in a long-term relationship.

And Amy Sanderson, LJ Hooker’s head of property investment management said writing a cover letter will go a long way.

“When finding the right tenant for a client, the two most important things to a property manager is the tenant’s ability to pay rent and the ability to look after the place,” Ms Sanderson told news.com.au.

“So on top of providing evidence of stability of employment, banks statements and previous tenancy references, writing a cover letter is a really nice way of painting a story about yourself and who you are.”

  • SPEAK TO THE AGENT

Going up and introducing yourself and having a friendly chat with the agent was a tip several renters gave to news.com.au. And just like writing a cover letter, the personal touch will make you memorable.

9 out of 10 times a landlord will also often ask the agent what they felt about certain house hunters, so an introduction is important. Landlords will ask us what we feel so remembering a face to an applicant is always an advantage.

  • DRESS NEATLY NOT OVER THE TOP

How to dress was another common tip offered by renters. From wearing a collared shirt with a nice sweater and dress shoes — or the “Jarred Kushner look” as it was described by one renter — to wearing pencil skirts or bright red lipstick, everyone had their own version of how to look like a reliable and professional person or how to stand out.

But, you may be surprised to know, you don’t need to go to that much effort.

  • GET YOUR DUCKS IN ROW

Putting aside all the little idiosyncrasies of renters, the most important tip above all others, is to make sure you have all your ducks in a row, have a check list can be great help in not forgetting anything you may need, as we all know our days can get busy and our minds over flow.

- R&H Roxburgh Park Team -

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