micnic

Hi

As some of you may know, we arrived on the gold coast last week (going to the meet on Saturday!).

We have spent every day driving round searching for a rental - never thought it would be so difficult / soul destroying dealing with real estate agents!!!

My question is this - do you have to inspect the property BEFORE you put in an application or can you put in an application subject to inspection.

We are becoming frustrated because whilst there are 2 or 3 houses which we think will suit us, the inspection date has not been set!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Nicky and Mike

paraponte

Hi
Im moving to GC in January

I hope I dont have the same problem.
I was told you could sign a waiver not to inspect the property. Dont know if thats advisable tho!

micnic

No I wouldn't do that! you don't know what you are letting yourselves in for!

We are in our holiday accom for 4 weeks so not freaking out - YET!!!!

I've read some threads where people talk of having just 2 weeks holiday accomodation - glad we went for more otherwise we'd be homeless!!!

paraponte

I have six weeks in an apartment booked Just in case!!
I had a gut feeling that renting was going to be difficult.
I am submitting all my docs to real estate agents from the uk, try and get sort of pre aproved

Good luck, let me know where u end up

moneypenny20

Don't want to worry you but it's only going to get worse prior to christmas when the world and his wife move up for the Christmas break. In fact it could have started now which is why you're struggling. You have to go see the property or you'll end up in a dump and all get depressed. Get round ALL the agents daily, in their face so you are the first they contact when something comes up. Have you got your area as wide as possible? The perfect place could be half a km further out. You do need to be the first person the agents think of though to stand a chance.

Have you or can you offer six months rent up front? and have your paperwork in place. That would make them look more favourably at your offer.

Good luck.

paraponte

I am going to offer 6 months rent up front+ bond.
It should go a little quieter by end of feb when our furnature arrives

moneypenny20

We arrived in late November and couldn't find a thing so went straight to buying. From February onwards it should be easier yes.

paraponte

How did you find getting a mortgage?

Im on a 457 so dont know how easy/hard it will be to get finance

moneypenny20

I don't know anyone who's had a problem getting a mortgage although non of them are on 457. I am fairly sure though that as long as you have a job you can get one. PM Bix - he was/is on a 457 and will know more about getting a mortgage. He's up in Cairns but the rules will be the same.

ex Tassiemum

We are renting on the GC and our 6 month lease is up next week. We moved into the house we are in now without seeing it as we lived in Sydney and couldnt get the time off work to get up here. We went on web pics alone and we were not disappointed with the house when we finally saw it on our arrival so it can be done.

We have found GC real estate agents to be VERY unbending when it comes to inspecting rentals. We wish to move again and find rentals on realestate.com.au You then have to contact the agent to find out when an inspection is being held and so often its during the day Mon-Fri, which is just great if you work!!!.......NOT!!

You go along to the inspection, put in an application if you like the place and wait. I have called up about a rental and been told when the next inspection is and also told they already have half a dozen applications in from a previous inspection.......so why are they still holding inspections????......strange!! How many apps. do they want on any one place!!

So I am beginning to think it may not be as easy as we first thought. Getting our current rental was easier and we did that from interstate!!....

Guess we will see how it goes.........we dont have to move straight away and hope we can continue to rent where we are on a month to month basis as we dont want to commit to another 6 months.

Good luck!

FluffyTheCampfireSlayer

It can also work the other way.

We are in Redcliffe, another desirable are, and personally experienced no problems what so ever getting a rental.

We saw it, looked at it an hour later, submitted the app there and then and was informed we had it the next morning.

We are in an apartment though, so I'm guessing there are more people chasing houses. Saying that, the house just up from us (nice house) has been for rent for weeks now!!

micnic

YESSSSSS!

we actually managed to get an inspection of a house on saturday (along with 8 other families!) at 11.00 a.m. By 6.00 pm we'd spoken with the agent and had our application accepted!

If followed the advice from another member (sorry don't know who) and put together all our documentation and typed a covering note explaining fully our position, then attached this to our application form in a clear plastic wallet. We went straight from the house to a cafe, filled in the forms and delivered the application.

needless to say, we are over the moon - and we didn't have to compromise on what we wanted!!!!

Good luck to anyone else hunting.

Nicky x

FluffyTheCampfireSlayer

Congratulations guys! It is a bit like a job interview really aint it? They want the keenest candidates, so it deffo paid off for you to go the extra hundred yards!
Enjoy!

micnic

thanks!

Yes it is like a job i/v. What frustrated me in the first week was how difficult it was getting an inspection date from the real estate agent in the first place! One place we were told to ring back the following week and when we did they told us it had gone! Crazy! Still, all done now - can't wait to move in.