chez33

Hi Guys

What did you all do about accommodation before you left for Australia? We will probably be renting initially and looking to pay up to $800pw for a beach home. What worries me is can you organize a property before you leave the UK? and if not what on earth do you do? bearing in mind we have 2 kids in tow (and 3 cats but they'll be in quarantine I guess).

Thanks in advance

Cheryl

Geelong Gent

You need to get short term accomodation organised for up to the first month.

Rental property comes on week to week and agents only allow you to submit an application after physically viewing the property.

Depending on where you are heading $800pw may be okay for a 2 bed apartment. Add another 0 for a house.

Utilise realestate.com.au or domain.com.au for listings - the agents will point you in this direction - get used to them being lazy.

Viewings are generally certain days of the week at set times and for about 15 to 30 mins. Dont be too put off by the hordes going through - alot may not be submitting an actual application.

Submit an application for every house that looks reasonable too you - you are not under any obligation until you sign your lease agreement. For this reason come prepared to viewings with a stack of applications prefilled out with copies of relevant supporting data ie bank statements, references.

chez33

Can anyone recommend some good sites for the temporary rentals? I take it that can be organized this end then?

So it sounds like the first month will be very stressful! what did you do about a transport and viewing the properties?

curly

Try googling for wherever you're heading in Aus. As for transport you can organise that too online before you go. Again google is your friend

asher

Hire a car!

chez33

It's all I do all day! I have a spreadsheet full of info and links. What I'm really after are good recommendations so that I know they're good.

curly

Right, well the thing to do is narrow it down to exactly where you're going in Aus, which state, which suburb etc, then ask the question

chez33

Sydney - one of the beach suburbs - probably Manly, Mona Vale, Bondi, Balgowlah, Bronte - somewhere along those lines. Upping the rent to $900 to get a house. spent the whole day looking and realise $800 won't get us what we want

Also will having cats narrow our chances down of renting? are they as strict as the UK with the no pets thing in rentals?

Thanks

curly

Ok, I'm sure someone will be able to help you now. I'm in QLD so can't help, nor can i offer info regarding the cats either. If I was you I'd post again putting Sydney and the suburbs in the title, but it's late here now 1 am for me, so post it at night (your time) around 7pm or later

asher

try further south

there are still good train links to the CBD but beach properties are a bit cheaper
try doll point cronulla Brighton by the sea Ryde that sort of area

chez33

Thanks - haven't looked down that way yet but will do so.

Sally Simpson

It's entirely up to you of course, but we won't be renting anywhere until we can actually view it & see the areas for ourselves. There are people who have organised a 6 month lease before they leave only to find it has been awful & they lose money if they end the lease early.
Most people seem to allow at least two weeks after arival for organising accomodation, medicare etc. A short term, fully furnished is a good stop gap.
As Curly suggests, may be worth posting a more specific enquiry in the Australia forum (rather than the barbie) this evening!

Good luck & hope you get some amswers!

chez33

Can the mods move this thread please?

Thanks

Sally Simpson

Just pm one of them!

Pollyanna, Cresta, Kapri, Moneypen all on duty!

Geelong Gent

Someone after my own heart

You can hire a car from the airport - but probably will be able to find your own car within a few days.

We are in Melbourne but this might be useful. We stayed for the first 2 nights in a city hotel. The hotel provided a limosine pickup (enabling us to carry all our 10 cases) which reduced the need for a car for the first 2 days. Day 1 was supposed to be a chill out day but ended up buying a car, getting various items organised. Bear in mind buying a car sometimes it can be a few days before delivery ie getting windows tinted, tow bars fixed (for the boat not a caravan)
We then moved to a short term apartment complex and used this as a base to locate rental. Key considerations for you:

Internet access (top priority) - enables you to search for jobs and rentals
Standard - over to your own personal requirements - but its only 2-4 weeks, but you will pay for location/time of year.

When you are out rental hunting - do make an effort to get up at rush hour and drive around - it showed me a lot about congestion points which helped filter out areas.