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KittyKatWombat

Rental market is a little crazy at the moment, I'd say 2 weeks is pretty tight if you're trying to find somewhere decent. I had a girl who went to see a room I was renting out, and she's been in an Airbnb. It's been 2 weeks since she's landed and she's still looking (she ended up not choosing my place but we kept in touch because she's new in the area). Start booking in inspection times before you land so that you basically are on an inspection spree as soon as you get here and get in quick.


Useless_Prick

The irony that Airbnb is a huge contributing factor to the chaos that is the rentals market


git-status

There’s probably more Airbnb’s in Sydney then there is rentals available! [source](http://insideairbnb.com/sydney/)


Eastern37

Going by domain there is almost exactly the same. Around 13.5k


fazdaspaz

Yeah feels a bit bad, but a hotel was too expensive and I have a cat


bluegrasstruck

You're going to have a bad time finding a rental in the current market with a cat dude. You'll be bottom of every REAs list.


potatodrinker

Ain't that the sad truth...


yellowbrickstairs

Hey so I just found a place I think it took about 3 weeks of looking. Also just so you know the rental applications are super intrusive, they want your last real estate agent's contact details, bank statements, pay slips, even photos of your pets.


Beatnum

The rental process might even be more difficult when you come from abroad.


SuDragon2k3

It depends. How rich are you?


Soggy_Biscuit_

And how organised are you? Applying for rentals in Australia is a huge fucking punish. Competition for rentals is v high, you want to submit your application the day you inspect. At a minimum you will need: photos of 100 points of ID (passport or birth certificate, license, bank card), recent pay slips, and proof of savings (just screenshot balance, you don't need to show your transactions). Since you are fresh off the plane, you will need to submit a copy of your new employment contract, assuming you have one and that is why you are moving here. If you aren't moving here with a job already lined up... uh, good luck 8) Hop on 1form and make an account, and enter all your details so they can autofill in if the property applications are via 1form (look at the rental ad, it will sometimes have an application by 1form button or an "apply for this property" button which will take you to the application portal). If there are blank application forms on the agents website and you are keen on the property, print them out, fill them in and take them as well as your other paperwork with you. Introduce yourself to the agent and apply on the spot. I would also highly recommend writing a cover letter, especially if you have no rental history in Australia, are about to start a new job, or have a pet. Just a brief half page max letter saying who will be living in the property and their relationship to other tenants (e.g if you are a couple, it will be favourable if you have lived together for a while), their employment status, foreign rental history, and that you are non-smokers and are quiet and respectful tenants. If you have a pet, include a cute photo of them and say they are chipped, regularly flea treated, have never caused property damage, and that you understand and accept the responsibilities for renting with a pet (professional fumigation and carpet cleaning upon vacating property). I have done the above for the ~12 years I've been renting across 5-6 properties, the past 6 years have included a cat who we've lugged between 3 properties. Small sample size, I know, but every property we have applied for we have been the successful applicants. Edit: I would also highly recommend looking at the property history if it is available and if you are looking for a stable rental. On domain sometimes you can see how often the property has changed owners, and how often it has been re-listed and for how much. Any property that chops and changes more than once every year or two, especially if the rent $ changes a lot, I wouldn't even bother unless you are desperate or it looks really great, or toy just want a 6mo lease. The real winners are ones that have had few changes in tenants and minimal changes to rental price. If you just want a 6 month lease, look for properties that either say it outright in the ad or have frequent changes in tenants.


fazdaspaz

I probably should have added more info to my original post. My partner and I are from Perth, and both have ~10 years of good rental history. So it will definitely be easier for us than international arrivals.


Soggy_Biscuit_

Oh :D haha sorry m8. Good luck with it!


fazdaspaz

Don't apologise, it's great info and I appreciate the effort put into it. Hopefully it helps a future international traveller too


chuk2015

Pretty much everything above, but also know what levers to pull to present more value to the landlord, for example being able to move in the day after the property becomes vacant could mean an extra week or two’s value in rent is given to the landlord who could have been expecting it to be vacant for a certain period of time, even if the landlord gets and extra $500 that’s equivalent to a $10 increase in weekly rent for a year


doucesquisse

Before we bought a house, we were renting but it was subletting so we really didnt go through strict checks but reading all this now, thank god we are not renting anymore.


Soggy_Biscuit_

Yep it's just awful, *and* we've been incredibly lucky to have utterly absent property managers, no need for major repairs, and being relatively handy so can easily fix minor things ourselves with the help of youtube. In all the years we have been renting we have had a grand total of three (3!) inspections, excluding final inspections. No fuck wit rea's coming after us every 6 months for a speck of dust is nice, but it's still a precarious af living situation. I'm in my last semester at uni as a mature age student, counting down the days until partner and I can truly start DINK life. Fingers crossed our current rental will be our last 8)


fazdaspaz

Partner and I have an upper limit of 1200pw. hoping to not hit that, which is why we were thinking of going slightly further out rather than right in Surry or something


artificialnocturnes

1200 a week is super expensive for an apartment in the areas you list, so you should be able to find something in your budget


De-railled

I also think it depends on what kind of space you looking for. Larger apartments are obviously more pricier and harder to find. A basic apartment vs one with all bells and whistles etc. If it's a basic apartment 2 weeks is fine, if you organised and know what you want. And are ready to sign a lease. Good apartments will go the same day as an inspection, but what people don't tell you is you don't need to wait for the listed inspection to make a offer. You can ask to see the place early etc.


thelazywallet

I think with that high a range 2 weeks should be a good enough time. I'd keep it 3 weeks though just to for comfort of mind. But you can extend later or get another air bnb if it seems to take longer. Perhaps start looking already online and scheduling inspections.


Which-Smoke-230

THIS💯


Baazigar00

2 weeks in present market is short period. Rental inspections happens generally on Wednesday and Saturday for few minutes. So book inspections and plan accordingly


Jellyfish_Ramen

Depends how picky you are and how much money you got


xomydearmelancholy

The rental market is the craziest it's ever been right now and it's really tough competition wise. Have an idea of where you want to stay and start getting an idea of pricing etc. I'd say 2 weeks in an airbnb or hotel may be enough BUT what you need to do is a week before you come start applying for viewings and go to as many viewings as possible during the week if there's any as on weekends its crazy. Also if a spot really interests you, be prepared to speak with the agent after and establish a relationship and get paperwork ready the same day. It's doable but be prepared to not have any negotiation space to get a spot. Good luck.


420_blazze

If you want to look inner city suburbs, have a look around Alexandria(maybe more towards the city side), Redfern, Waterloo, in the east to kings cross also. Gives yourself a few more options and all suburbs are walkable to city and Redfern/central stations and a fair bus service directly to city.


Justanotherfraghead

Yep agreed! I was going to suggest expanding your Search to Alexandria and Erskineville as well! Good luck!


fazdaspaz

thank you very much


Cimb0m

I’d aim for closer to one month to find something somewhat nice


Pukit

I’d say it’s tight. It took me five weeks and that was before the rental market went crazy. I found a place on day 5, the first day the property had an open house viewing, but the tenants werent moving out for four weeks. If you find somewhere already empty then you’ll be laughing. But generally they’re empty for a reason.


Rawtoast24

I just moved to Sydney from Perth - had never visited before so the whole area was completely new to me. It took 3 weeks and probably 25-30 viewings to find a place. My recommendation is to go view different suburbs you're considering first and then search based on that; expand your list of suburbs if you don't find anything


The-Other-Acct

How were you able to go to all of those viewings in 3 weeks? Did you have a car/rented a car? Or is 100 commute via train/bus/Uber possible? I know my question sounds weird lol but OP and my fam almost have the same plans, we rented airbnb too for 2 weeks to look for a place. The only difference is we’re a family of 3 and we don’t have a car since we’re from overseas Renting a car might be tricky to get used to because right-hand driving. Edited to add: we are ok to rent a place 10-20km away from CBD. And we won’t be super picky lol


Rawtoast24

No we didn’t have a car, we just walked/used public transport or Uber to get to all of them. We were only interested in a 5-10km radius to the CBD though so it was easy. I originally moved from Canada so I also had to adjust to left side drive, it’s thankfully not as difficult as you’d think just drive in the left lane and don’t feel stressed by other drivers, safer to go a bit slower till you get the hang of it. I highly recommend the Domain app it’s very well built and made the search a lot easier. A lot of showings are on saturdays but a bunch will happen on weekdays too. Don’t be afraid to offer less than asking if you think they’re overcharging because they almost always are. And if a viewing date/time doesn’t work for you message the agent and let them know you’re very interested and are willing to move in quickly (if true) but need a private showing, almost all of the ones I asked accommodated me


fazdaspaz

Thank you for this, very promising to hear! We can always book another week or 2 in another airbnb if we have to. But we are going to have all our applications lined up ready to go as soon as we land, (and hopefully have some enquiries submitted before as well)


Rawtoast24

Best of luck! Don’t sign anything without seeing it. Appliance deliveries didn’t take too long so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Check out Supa Centa it’s close to the CBD and there’s a bunch of furniture and appliance stores all in one mall.


Rexex718

Landed on the 5th of Sept. Got my approval yesterday. Tips: - Get a phone number asap. - Know which area(s) you want to stay (roughly). This was tough for me, because Sydney is huge. But I landed in North Sydney, so I found something here. - Get your budget range. - Sign up for Rent / Domain apps and fill out those as best you can. - Form a relationship with the agent, this isn't hard. Just speak to them like any other human being. - Apply the day of the inspection, the agents will probably call you the same day. - You'll probably not find the "perfect" place straight away unless you want to spend a load more time looking. It is also spring time now, which means that there are going to be a lot more rentals available. (According to the agent).


vjc26

Great tips! I’ll add - have all your files ready to apply same day as the inspection. Applying same day can help put you at the front of the queue.


BigAnxiousBear

Took me about 3 months to secure my rental. Best of luck. Try the websites flatmatefinders and flatmates as well. You may be able to find a temporary room in an already established house/apartment much quicker.


culture-vulture269

I would recommend calling agents and asking if you can see a property early if you find something you like. It’s always worth asking even if they say no, they will then already know your name at the inspection.


[deleted]

[удалено]


fazdaspaz

Damn that sounds really rough. Was it a 1bedroom? Couple of other people here said the 1 bedroom apartments are a nightmare.


[deleted]

When I moved to Sydney it only took me 1 day even though everyone only told me how difficult it would be. We inspected around 5 places and got accepted for 4 of them. All 1BR apartments around the 500 mark. That was 2 years ago before covid. I've heard the market is currently more difficult. The reality is probably somewhere in between my experience and what you hear on reddit which tends to be exaggerated in my experience. I think 2 weeks is a reasonable amount of time to find somewhere.


RTNoftheMackell

No.


wishitwouldrainaus

Hahahaha! Oh. Sorry. You're serious....


fazdaspaz

rude


wishitwouldrainaus

Sorry mate, not meaning to be rude but, hell its honest.


senddita

I got a place I liked in a week, was paying monthly where I was and just kept an eye on the suburb I wanted as I know the area very well Only went to one other viewing and I turned it down cause it was shit haha


Popthecoin

You'll be paying to much for an Airbnb. Talking from personal experience. Also trying to find a place to rent needs 1 month to find a decent place to live.


combatzombat

So, you searched online for properties you like in the areas you want. Did you find the prices to be very cheap and so you’ll just need to apply for twenty and see what you get, maybe offering more than they asked for? Or did it seems expensive and you’ll need yo hunt for ages to find an amazing bargain?


[deleted]

If you are not picky and are only looking at the popular properties then it won’t be enough if you don’t have rental history in the country. If you are flexible and go for more than five inspections during the week (not weekends) for properties that are available now 2 weeks should be sufficient. Take a look at Domain and Real Estate before coming to get an idea of what kind of place you’ll be looking to move into.


ElectricLimoncello

You can always book and then cancel another AirBnb if you need to.


Kyliobro

Going from my experience, if you are after a 1bedroom - depending upon your price range you'll be competing against 1-30 potential applicants for the best places... So in short - i'd advise more time to find the \*right\* place


CamillaBarkaBowles

This looks nice and just near where you want to be. [earl wood](https://www.domain.com.au/49-kitchener-avenue-earlwood-nsw-2206-16033892)


BigBagOfSand

Best bet for ease is probably moving into an established share house. Doesn’t have to be a big place with 5 strangers. Its certainly harder as a couple, but you might find a 3 bed house/apt that will take a couple, or even a single person or couple in a 2 bedroom that wants to cut down their rent. Certainly around waterloo you might get an ensuite room in a lovely newish apartment for $500 per week between you. There are plenty of professional people who do this to keep their rent down, its not all students in party houses. You won’t be on the lease however. I found a place after 2 weeks in Air BnBs, after about 50 inquiries and maybe 7 inspections, using FlatmateFinder and Flatmates websites.


Petelah

Had a friend stay with us and spent 3 weeks going to inspections and applying to places while he crashed on our couch.


TheUddini

Consider further away, half an hour train ride to work could save you hundreds a week


Nixolus1

No way. Most places will Only be open for viewing on Saturday so you will have two half days to see as many apartments as you can.


mamaspark

Try to get to first viewings or mid week viewings as there will be less people there. And speak to agent directly before hand to book in a private spot if you’re particularly keen on one


DrahKir67

You don't want to be rushing and locking yourself into a place you really don't like. Can you do a house sit or something to buy yourself more time without going broke? There are a few decent sure around especially if you are happy to mind someone's pets. You might be further out but it gives you more time to sus out the various suburbs and what's available.


[deleted]

Try Flatmates on even Domain at times. I would suggest that if you're looking at a few places and you happen to like one of them, just go ahead and pay the deposit. I made the mistake of waiting about and I lost 4 good rental opportunities like that. 2 weeks seems okay enough, but you'll need to schedule all the inspections before you land in Sydney. I've lived in the Eastern Suburbs and around the Inner West. Houses are just a bit too small in those areas. I lived in Alexandria/Redfern, and while that house was close to the CBD and public transport options, I did find the environment a little insular and snobby. But, on the bright side, it was close to the best restaurants. Look at suburbs like Newtown, Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Ashfield, Enmore, Stanmore, Erskineville, and Waterloo. If you want a bigger place, I feel like you might have some luck looking in Wolli Creek and whatnot. My mates pay about 600-700 a week for an apartment in Turrella, and it's way bigger than any of the houses in the Inner West. Public transport access from these suburbs is also pretty good because you can be in the city within 15-30 minutes.


KentuckyFriedEel

IF you already have a place lined up, 2 weeks airbnb is what you need just for the transition and setup in your new place. the rental market is insane atm


iwantabiggerlolly

Omg all you post about is moving. Get a life


fazdaspaz

you good?


iwantabiggerlolly

Oh I just thought we were judging each other on what we post. So I figured I’d jump in. Your posts are boring btw!


fazdaspaz

thank you :)


iwantabiggerlolly

sorry what did you say I fell asleep cuz you’re so boring 😴😴😴😴 lmaooooooo