Emoke

Hi everyone,

I am a new member-just found this website. I hope any of you can help me out with some advice. My OH and I are moving to Sydney on 2nd Sept, he’s got a job in North-Ryde area. He is going to start on 6th Sept so I will be the one who is going to look for a place to live.

The company will book us a hotel for a week, so we are really need to find an apartment very soon. (1-2 bedrooms)

Does anyone know the area well? or a good letting agency there?

We don’t know anyone in Sydney, it’s a bit scary but we're wanted to give it a try - it was our dream to live in Australia. :-)

Many Thanks

Em

ianandhelena

Welcome to the expats!

We don't live in NSW so can't be much help, but when everyone here wakes up no doubt somebody will be along to point you in the right direction.

In the meantime have a look on here:

http://www.realestate.com.au/rent

Wol

You don't say whether you are looking at a long-term rental, or a possibly short term one while you find somewhere to buy.

*Decent* rentals can be quite pricey around Sydney. There is an unpleasant way of renting which is to open a unit/house for viewing for 30 mins - there are listings in the papers of times - and you have to plan on rushing from one to the next: you and hundreds of others.

Your best plan is to have several copies of resumes, references, income proofs etc - anything to prove you are not a rental risk (there are many who are) - and offer to pay say six months upfront. Money talks!

Good luck.

carolinephillips

A week is not long enough to find a rental- you may have to get a "holiday" let- we did when we came out 2 years ago- had a hotel for the 1st week so we could get all the paperwork/bank accounts etc sorted, then rented for a month in Manly while we found somewhere near the school DD was going to go to (Gordon) Bit of a commute for me, but OH just rolled out of bed and onto the ferry to circular quay where his office is. We found a rental near school for 8 months before buying, but it was a hassle. We were lucky that we had references from the guy who managed the holiday let, our vicar and the agents who had sold our house, so that the landlords knew we were of good character and solvent.

Emoke

Thanks for your replies, We want to rent a 1-2 bedrooms apartment for 6 months, $450-550 ish per week. Do you think I can find something for this price?

What do you think about sending emails for some letting agency from here? or is it waste of time?

thanks

Em

Wol

Probably a waste of time but you never know.

Be aware that rental agents have the ethics of Satan - be prepared for them to increase the rate after you have agreed a rental ("We made a mistake - it's actually $50 more than the ad"), to hold back a deposit on termination because of a spider's web or a mark that was there to start with. Take many photos when you start to prove the condition, and also take your time filling in the condition report - you don't have to do it there and then.

Bermudashorts

Aiming to find an apartment within a week is pretty heroic. You need to be prepared to pay for another week at least in the hotel or in short term accommodation somewhere else.

I am not sure what apartments go for as we only looked at houses so can't comment on your budget, we used www.domain.com.au for our research.

As you want to move quickly, get a pack of documents ready for each of you. Include copies of passport, driving licence, contract of employment / confirmation of salary (for your OH), bank statements showing you have some funds behind you, reference from your UK landlord if you have one, we had not rented for years so we got a letter from the estate agent now renting our house out saying what a nice house it is. We also did a covering letter about us; professional, non smokers, no kids, homeowners in UK, two cats happy to pay pet bond blah blah blah.

Always worth getting an application form in advance of anywhere you are going to see, then you can have it filled in and hand it in right there and then.

The letting market is very different to the UK, much more competitive. But if you are organised you do improve your chances.

Sea Of Love

Suburbs will vary greatly from one to the next. There is a whole different way of life between suburbs and the people who live there.
What type of home do you want (contemporary/unit/house/in the bustle?
What type of things do you like doing (eating out/beach/city etc)?
Do you have kids/do you want a family area or something more suited to professional couples?
How far is he willing to commute?

The suburb in which you live will impact your experience of Sydney.

man_called_Horse

I know of a 3 BR unit that will be available on 11th Sep in Baulkham Hills which is only 15 KM up the M2.

I just bought my own house in Castle Hill and am moving out on the 8th and handing back the Keys on 11th, I work in North Ryde myself and this place is within 500m of the M2/Windsor Road Junction, 50m of the bus stop and 300 m of the shops.

3 BR
Double lock up garage
In-ground swimming pool
Good sized entertaining balcony
$410 PW

PM me for more info, best I can do is give you the Agents details and maybe get your application in before hand.

Agents are wanting to do an open home on 28th... I told them no open home until 12th. I hate open homes.


PS you are aware that nearly all rentals come unfurnished?

man_called_Horse

My mistake handing back the keys on the Fri 10th

Emoke

Hi There ,

Unfortunately I am unable to send pm cos I am a new member

We dont mind flat, house etc only the price is matter up to £500 per week. We are a couple, no children, no pet, non smokers, healthy life style. My OH will work on Herring Road - North Ryde, deffo no car in the first 3 months, (however he want to but a motorcycle soon) so he has to use public transport, what do you think? is it possible to get a bus and reach Herrington Rd - max time he wants to spend in the traffic is 1 hour.


Possible to have some pics

thanks a lot

Em

Emoke

I mean $500

Emoke

Oh and we prefer furnished flat/house - we sold our staff earlier :-(

Kooky.

Hi Em, we recently moved from the Lower North Shore to Alexandria (variably known as the Inner West or the City Fringes) and my husband works in North Ryde.

He does have a car but we have friends living very close by who take the train without much hassle, so don't limit yourselves to the North Shore as many areas are very expensive, unless you live quite a way out. As a childless couple, I would think you'd want to be fairly close to the action and experience Sydney to the max

I think furnished apartments are unusual, unless they are serviced (and so expensive) and, as somebody has said, unfurnished basically means nothing is included - right down to white goods.

www.131500.com.au might come in handy.

Emoke

Thanks for the advice and the time table, it is sounds bad to us then, cos we dont have any furniture now...

I saw some adv. about short stay accommodation, has anyone tried those already?

thanks

Em