The House Hunting Thread: "Be vewy, vewy quiet..."

gnat · Post by **gnat** » Thu May 17, 2007 5:19 pm

good luck!

northside inside the ride

Lizkins · Post by **Lizkins** » Thu May 17, 2007 5:19 pm

gnat wrote:i'm currently helping friends with 'the search'. i'm a gun at it seriously

best tips i can give for not being turned down include writing a really good letter to attach to application, noting that you're looking for 'a home', long term lease, prev maintained and planted garden etc, plus your backgrounds/ what you do/ lived together long term etc and a the reason why you're moving elaborated upon

also at OFI's stick back and intro yourself/ schmooze the agent. he gets 30+ anonymous applications and can't put faces to names so makes a choice based on income and relationship of renters otherwise. make it so when he picks up your application he remembers you as the ones who stayed behind or were waiting earlier who were well presented and friendly- the ones who told him about a mad cafe around the corner, then ones who went to morocco etc

has always worked for me

i do the chat thing, i also call and follow up and point out my application and chat to the real estate agent. Hasn't worked so far. Needs more sucking up maybe

shepherd · Post by **shepherd** » Thu May 17, 2007 5:25 pm

from experience all real estate agents give a rats about is income, work hours and the risk lbased on these to not pay your rent. most want tenants with stable 9-5's.

brown nosing and nice letters don't really make much difference from experience.

gnat · Post by **gnat** » Thu May 17, 2007 6:22 pm

brown nosing and nice letters in conjunction with stable 9-5 does iMo considering everyone else applying for a house within a certain price range is also gainfully employed in a mid to high range salary job

Charlie73 · Post by **Charlie73** » Thu May 17, 2007 6:36 pm

we are staying put as we could not find anything better than we had.......

the rentals are that bad that we have actually looked at what is out there to buy...... EEEEP

Lephrenic · Post by **Lephrenic** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:11 am

God forbid I ever lose my house.

I think I'd move to the country with my folks if that happened.

diode · Post by **diode** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:03 am

Gnat you're completely on the money with your approach and that's why it has always worked for you.
Shepherd, Brown nosing as you call it or being friendly and aproachable as Gnat calls it works and at the end of the day that's all that counts.

Having said that I'm lucky we have just resigned for another year as the renting scene at the moment is horrendous.

nic · Post by **nic** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:57 am

i just cant stand the fact that most real estate agents are jumped up little manchildren with blonde tips and clipboards deciding if you application to live in some undermaintained shithole is worthy.

mixtress · Post by **mixtress** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:59 am

nic wrote:i just cant stand the fact that most real estate agents are jumped up little manchildren with blonde tips and clipboards deciding if you application to live in some undermaintained shithole is worthy.

The power, THE POWER

Lauer · Post by **Lauer** » Fri May 18, 2007 10:02 am

Try to get face to face with the agent as much as possible also helps, even if the other OFI's are not what you're after they'll begin to recognise you after a couple of times and call them and ask them questions. Agents deal with a lot of shithead tenants and landlord's all the time as well as a lot of people in general, make yourself someone they remember and like because if they like you they might just help you get over the line.

Lauer · Post by **Lauer** » Fri May 18, 2007 10:04 am

nic wrote:i just cant stand the fact that most real estate agents are jumped up little manchildren with blonde tips and clipboards deciding if you application to live in some undermaintained shithole is worthy.

Just remember who they're working for. When you have an investment property one day you'll understand.

Post by **system** » Fri May 18, 2007 11:17 am

Lauer wrote:
nic wrote:i just cant stand the fact that most real estate agents are jumped up little manchildren with blonde tips and clipboards deciding if you application to live in some undermaintained shithole is worthy.
Just remember who they're working for. When you have an investment property one day you'll understand.

what, that a manchild is making a commission off you by doing nothing?

good real estate agents are few and far between.

calstro · Post by **calstro** » Fri May 18, 2007 11:20 am

system wrote: good real estate agents

Is there really such a thing?

Post by **system** » Fri May 18, 2007 11:23 am

calstro wrote:
system wrote: good real estate agents
Is there really such a thing?

they do exist. the exception that proves the rule, though.

calstro · Post by **calstro** » Fri May 18, 2007 11:25 am

system wrote:
calstro wrote:
system wrote: good real estate agents
Is there really such a thing?
they do exist. the exception that proves the rule, though.

I reckon they only exist if you're buying/selling a property.

Haven't met an agent that gives 2 shits about renters.

Post by **breaksRbest** » Fri May 18, 2007 11:32 am

the last two agents I've had have been excellent.

e.g, we decided we wanted blinds installed on all our windows so we sent them a letter about it. They got the letter at 10am, called me at 11am and the guy came to measure the windows at 3pm.
2 weeks later they were installed

C.I.A. · Post by **C.I.A.** » Fri May 18, 2007 11:50 am

calstro wrote:
system wrote:
calstro wrote: Is there really such a thing?
they do exist. the exception that proves the rule, though.
I reckon they only exist if you're buying/selling a property.

Haven't met an agent that gives 2 shits about renters.

I had an agent jump through hoops of liquid nitrogen when I was selling. Then I sold, and I couldn't get in touch with my new best friend. She vanished. I hope she is ok.

Lauer · Post by **Lauer** » Fri May 18, 2007 12:02 pm

LOL, i'm an agent...for 2 more weeks.

It's a weird industry, there's a lot of bullshit from both sides (agents and buyers). I'm in sales by the way so don't ask me to get you a rental.

stovequeen · Post by **stovequeen** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:10 pm

Our rental agents are great - Stockdale & Leggo Carlton North

Lizkins · Post by **Lizkins** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:17 pm

Same here - Hocking Stuart in Carlton. They have been lovely and helpful. I love them....just kidding. But they have been really good.

Previous agents were absolute fucking cunts who i really wanted to throw bricks at. Never go through Marshall Baker in Clifton Hill if you can help it. Fucking CUNTS!!!!

okay i am better now.

shepherd · Post by **shepherd** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:47 pm

our real estate agents are perhaps the most incompetent dudes i've come across!

RUN Property - big promises and pretty branding and wanky mission statements but underneath the fancy wrapping paper are high school dropouts who make it their business to make sure they constantly redefine what you thought the term 'shit service' could mean.

when we moved in the power wasn't connected - for 3 days

no hot water either - for 3 days (lucky i went to Vietnam after 1 day)

Took about 8 months to give us an alarm code.

Etc etc

Awesome performance from what apparently is a publicly listed company!

Before that I had some dinky family op in Richmond who didn't seem to care about much at all as long as the rent was vaguely on time. The real estate agents I had before then in Richmond (Biggin and Scott) were very good - ie, understood they worked in a service industry.

shepherd · Post by **shepherd** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:47 pm

wtf

!

mixtress · Post by **mixtress** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:54 pm

Yeah, that happened to me too Ben. Weird. Thought you needed some kind of : to make those work.

I remember our realo's when we lived at Spring St were a pack of tossers. They're the ones near the Japanese restaurant on Brunny (opp Lacklustre). Can't remember who they were, trying to block it out I suppose.

Post by **breaksRbest** » Fri May 18, 2007 4:48 pm

shepherd wrote:when we moved in the power wasn't connected - for 3 days

no hot water either - for 3 days (lucky i went to Vietnam after 1 day)

Isn't that the tenants responsibility? I've always had to look after the connection of utilities.

ghetto kitty · Post by **ghetto kitty** » Fri May 18, 2007 5:41 pm

well i have dealt with some cunties in the past...
ray white in reservior bent us over and buttfucked us when we moved out last time...

then ray white in northcote have been GREAT.
inspections are hilarious, they just ogle all out art covered walls,
they have fixed some stuff too, but our landlord is a cheapskate so sent a roofing guy with a tube of silicone to fix our leaks. (ahem)

we havent paid rent a day late on four years, keep up the garden etc etc

but now i want chickens! should i ask or just do it? (huge backyard, gonna build a pen for em)

Lizkins · Post by **Lizkins** » Fri May 18, 2007 6:05 pm

breaksRbest wrote:
shepherd wrote:when we moved in the power wasn't connected - for 3 days

no hot water either - for 3 days (lucky i went to Vietnam after 1 day)

Isn't that the tenants responsibility? I've always had to look after the connection of utilities.

yeah it is. never heard of it being the agents responsibility.

mixtress · Post by **mixtress** » Fri May 18, 2007 6:06 pm

ghetto kitty wrote: but now i want chickens! should i ask or just do it? (huge backyard, gonna build a pen for em)

Chickens are aces. We used to have one called Toktok. Laid double yolkers and everythang

If they're penned, I don't see the prob (but I'm not a realo, so...)

Lauer · Post by **Lauer** » Fri May 18, 2007 7:20 pm

It comes down to what the landlord wants.

spiral · Post by **spiral** » Fri May 18, 2007 7:50 pm

shepherd wrote:our real estate agents are perhaps the most incompetent dudes i've come across!

RUN Property - big promises and pretty branding and wanky mission statements but underneath the fancy wrapping paper are high school dropouts who make it their business to make sure they constantly redefine what you thought the term 'shit service' could mean.

when we moved in the power wasn't connected - for 3 days

no hot water either - for 3 days (lucky i went to Vietnam after 1 day)

Took about 8 months to give us an alarm code.

Etc etc
.

RUN have the worst reputation even amongst real estate agents

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Fri May 18, 2007 8:45 pm

spiral wrote:
shepherd wrote:our real estate agents are perhaps the most incompetent dudes i've come across!

RUN Property - big promises and pretty branding and wanky mission statements but underneath the fancy wrapping paper are high school dropouts who make it their business to make sure they constantly redefine what you thought the term 'shit service' could mean.

when we moved in the power wasn't connected - for 3 days

no hot water either - for 3 days (lucky i went to Vietnam after 1 day)

Took about 8 months to give us an alarm code.

Etc etc
.
RUN have the worst reputation even amongst real estate agents

and local government

Post by **huge** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:07 pm

we got booted from one of our houses because of RUN. they pissed the landlord off and he took the property away from them. Dude called Raymond. he can get fucked.

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat May 26, 2007 9:46 am

I've pretty much realised I have to get into a share house in Richmond near Richmond Station.

Anyone know of anything go atm?

Moving in on or about June 11.

LuKo · Post by **LuKo** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:52 pm

^^ good luck its killer at the mo'

i am myself looking for a sharehouse

so if anyone knows of anything post it up and i will follow it up..

seems finding a sharehouse is ALOT easier at themoment than getting your own place as a couple or a bunch of friends..

anyway cheers

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:19 pm

LuKo wrote:^^ good luck its killer at the mo'

i am myself looking for a sharehouse

so if anyone knows of anything post it up and i will follow it up..

seems finding a sharehouse is ALOT easier at themoment than getting your own place as a couple or a bunch of friends..

anyway cheers

Yep, was going to try and get a plce by myself but decided it too hard.

However, am still considering getting a lil place out at Ferny Creek.

gnat · Post by **gnat** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:24 pm

where the feck is ferny creek?

sharehouse = shudder

could not

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:25 pm

gnat wrote:where the feck is ferny creek?

sharehouse = shudder

could not

Next door to Ferntree Gully, out at the Dandenong Ranges National Park.

dust · Post by **dust** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:36 pm

spiral wrote:
shepherd wrote:our real estate agents are perhaps the most incompetent dudes i've come across!

RUN Property - big promises and pretty branding and wanky mission statements but underneath the fancy wrapping paper are high school dropouts who make it their business to make sure they constantly redefine what you thought the term 'shit service' could mean.

when we moved in the power wasn't connected - for 3 days

no hot water either - for 3 days (lucky i went to Vietnam after 1 day)

Took about 8 months to give us an alarm code.

Etc etc
.
RUN have the worst reputation even amongst real estate agents

My last design company was working for RUN for a while. They truly are a bunch of suity, asshole twats. Pissed us all off so much we dumped them as a client.

Post by **breaksRbest** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:40 pm

the agent has called all our references and asked for extra documentation for the application.

should find out today.

:fingerscrossed:

mixtress · Post by **mixtress** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:43 pm

Will wrote:
gnat wrote:where the feck is ferny creek?

sharehouse = shudder

could not
Next door to Ferntree Gully, out at the Dandenong Ranges National Park.

That's not too bad, nice and hilly. My friends just moved near there a few months ago.

Just don't go out after 9pm

calstro · Post by **calstro** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:48 pm

The Mixtress wrote: Just don't go out after 9pm

Thats when the hippies bite!

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:56 pm

calstro wrote:
The Mixtress wrote: Just don't go out after 9pm
Thats when the hippies bite!

Hippies eh?

I can't imagine they're half as bad as the violent, mentally deranged, drunk, meth-addicted hippies I've had to deal with up here.

I come from Nimbin remember..

calstro · Post by **calstro** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:04 pm

yeah don't think they're the same calibre of tree huggers you're used to.

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:19 pm

calstro wrote:yeah don't think they're the same calibre of tree huggers you're used to.

Yeah, the hippies up here don't bite unless they have to. They prefer star pickets.

LuKo · Post by **LuKo** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:23 pm

breaksRbest wrote:the agent has called all our references and asked for extra documentation for the application.

should find out today.

:fingerscrossed:

hopefully teh agent doesnt pull this on you: (its happening alot now)

" we have 10 other applicants the owner is happy with, 6 of those are willing to pay 50-60 dollars more a week for it,....How much extra are you willing to pay?"

the amount of stories i have heard of the realestate agenst doing this now is getting seriously concerning...

what chance do you have if they are doing that, basically its coming down to who has the most cash to waste on renting?

Post by **breaksRbest** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:37 pm

we've offered a bit more per week and said we'd sign a 2 year lease

hopefully that'll get us over the line

there's no way we'll be offering any more than we already have

calstro · Post by **calstro** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:50 pm

Will wrote:
calstro wrote:yeah don't think they're the same calibre of tree huggers you're used to.
Yeah, the hippies up here don't bite unless they have to. They prefer star pickets.

lol

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 28, 2007 9:55 pm

The rental market here is excruciatingly painful at the moment.. I'm paying significantly more than I'd like to be & we're coming up to renew the lease but I just can't bring myself to getting back into the ring with all the other SOB's looking for somewhere to live. I hate moving too, have done it so frequently over the past 4 years... I think I've still got things in boxes from when I first moved to Melbourne three years ago & they've just moved from one place to another.

Incidently, one of my flat mates will be moving out of the apartment come the end of June when we renew the lease. It's $750pcm, the room itself isn't enormous but there's substantial living area on the second floor. Still, you can get a queen sized bed and desk in there. The complex itself has Pool, Gym, Sauna, Spa.. just off Bridge Road, behind the Amora (Riverwalk Hotel). PM me if you'd like to know more..

Post by **breaksRbest** » Tue May 29, 2007 11:50 am

now I'm getting fucking impatient,

It's been over a week since we applied for the place and they keep saying "we"ll let you know tomorrow"

I wanna know NOW god dammit

stovequeen · Post by **stovequeen** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:17 pm

Glenn

I have the landlords number for the place in St Kilda. You want me to sms it to you?

Post by **breaksRbest** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:57 pm

Yes Thanks Fiwi, need a Plan B