double it and add ten....
Aug 20th 2007, 1:19 am
#1
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Location: Woburn, Wellington
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double it and add ten....
Well we're on the rental search at the moment and while we've found out how truely awful real estate agents are hear it still takes some believing.
NZ is welcome to the world of agents who use wide angle lenses for pictures or who spend hours trying to find the most ridiculous view of a house. I looked at one the other day that on first looks at the pictures appeared to be on a lake shore but when i got there and did a drive by i thought it had been photoshopped. Turns out there was a very small pond in the garden and the only way possible the picture could have been done was to crouch down by the waters edge and take a shot over the pond to the house.
When i got and took a closer look at the photo it confirmed it but i have to say hats off to whoever the decieving agent was as they'd done an awesome job with the picture. Add to that he said there's an air base nearby but it won't affect the house (it turned out to be 100yds away) and you have your NZ agent.
The prices of some rentals just seems to be a case of pick a number from the air double it and add a few dollars for good measure. There are houses on the market now that i remember being up for rent in may but are now down from their $2000 a week riduculous asking rate to a $1000 but still so far over price IMO. Currently theres a house in Albany which is asking $1750 a week and other than it has a plasma tv if you sign up for a year its the same as others at 650-750?
Yesterday we looked at a house on at at $800 a week and the oriental lady on the phone said 'its a lovely house inside'. Well what a joke we walked in and barely wanted to go any further than the hall/lounge. It was smelly hadn't been decorated for maybe 25 years, the carpets were frankly a health hazard and the house needed knocking down and starting again.
The only interest was in the character who lived there who made us laugh.
The guy who owned the house had sold up to a Mr.Ping and said that most of his neighbours had sold to Chinese people after they'd got fed up of being hassled constantly to sell their land. This is in the general flat bush area outskirts.
Today we're off to see a few more houses but i'm starting to think that the house we want to rent is not out there?
NZ is welcome to the world of agents who use wide angle lenses for pictures or who spend hours trying to find the most ridiculous view of a house. I looked at one the other day that on first looks at the pictures appeared to be on a lake shore but when i got there and did a drive by i thought it had been photoshopped. Turns out there was a very small pond in the garden and the only way possible the picture could have been done was to crouch down by the waters edge and take a shot over the pond to the house.
When i got and took a closer look at the photo it confirmed it but i have to say hats off to whoever the decieving agent was as they'd done an awesome job with the picture. Add to that he said there's an air base nearby but it won't affect the house (it turned out to be 100yds away) and you have your NZ agent.
The prices of some rentals just seems to be a case of pick a number from the air double it and add a few dollars for good measure. There are houses on the market now that i remember being up for rent in may but are now down from their $2000 a week riduculous asking rate to a $1000 but still so far over price IMO. Currently theres a house in Albany which is asking $1750 a week and other than it has a plasma tv if you sign up for a year its the same as others at 650-750?
Yesterday we looked at a house on at at $800 a week and the oriental lady on the phone said 'its a lovely house inside'. Well what a joke we walked in and barely wanted to go any further than the hall/lounge. It was smelly hadn't been decorated for maybe 25 years, the carpets were frankly a health hazard and the house needed knocking down and starting again.
The only interest was in the character who lived there who made us laugh.
The guy who owned the house had sold up to a Mr.Ping and said that most of his neighbours had sold to Chinese people after they'd got fed up of being hassled constantly to sell their land. This is in the general flat bush area outskirts.
Today we're off to see a few more houses but i'm starting to think that the house we want to rent is not out there?
Last edited by teambwr47; Aug 20th 2007 at 1:24 am.
Aug 20th 2007, 1:34 am
#2
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 307
Re: double it and add ten....
Nothing much changes up on Aucklands North shore, Back in the mid 90s the area of growth was Glenavar Road/Fitzwilliam Drive and the top end of Torbay.
Land was selling several times in the space of a week to asian buyers who would hassle people into selling then build what you see now overlooking the hauraki Gulf. Within a month up for sale again and again and again
Not everyone got there way in fact not sure if it has finally been built on but two lots of land kept on sliding down the hill. Guess how many times that changed hands?
My mate had a house in Awaruku Road and he lost count how many times some korean businessman would try to buy his house a well above market value just to sell it the next week to another Asian business person. He gave in after 14 years and now moved back to South Island.
House was last seen up for rent for $1200 per week
To think he paid $20,000 for that back in 1993 not sure how much he sold for but believe not far off half million.
Land was selling several times in the space of a week to asian buyers who would hassle people into selling then build what you see now overlooking the hauraki Gulf. Within a month up for sale again and again and again
Not everyone got there way in fact not sure if it has finally been built on but two lots of land kept on sliding down the hill. Guess how many times that changed hands?
My mate had a house in Awaruku Road and he lost count how many times some korean businessman would try to buy his house a well above market value just to sell it the next week to another Asian business person. He gave in after 14 years and now moved back to South Island.
House was last seen up for rent for $1200 per week
To think he paid $20,000 for that back in 1993 not sure how much he sold for but believe not far off half million.
Aug 20th 2007, 1:52 am
#3
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Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Mission Bay, Auckland
Posts: 649
Re: double it and add ten....
If its of any help we have finally found a decent rental after 10 solid days of looking and I have to agree the descriptions and photos do have alot to be desired. Even the kiwis think they are taking the ****!
The best estate agents we found were Barfoot & Thompson, the agents actually answered our phonecalls and emails and were helpful, cannot say the same for some others. We may have just been lucky
We were given a tip by a kiwi couple that as the rentals are in short supply at the moment an advert in the Herald on a Wenesday saying you are looking for a rental in x area with x rooms may help. We also found that Trade-me was quite good as you could contact the agents or owners immediately by phone. You can also set up email alerts on some real estate sites.
Good luck with hunting, there are some lovely houses out there - we did see a beautiful modern 4 bedroom room, which was immaculate and backed on to Cornwall Park at $650pw. We think they could have easily got alot more! Unfortunately they wanted a long term rental (unfurnished) for a time that did not match our requirements. This was on Trade me.
Happy hunting
The best estate agents we found were Barfoot & Thompson, the agents actually answered our phonecalls and emails and were helpful, cannot say the same for some others. We may have just been lucky
We were given a tip by a kiwi couple that as the rentals are in short supply at the moment an advert in the Herald on a Wenesday saying you are looking for a rental in x area with x rooms may help. We also found that Trade-me was quite good as you could contact the agents or owners immediately by phone. You can also set up email alerts on some real estate sites.
Good luck with hunting, there are some lovely houses out there - we did see a beautiful modern 4 bedroom room, which was immaculate and backed on to Cornwall Park at $650pw. We think they could have easily got alot more! Unfortunately they wanted a long term rental (unfurnished) for a time that did not match our requirements. This was on Trade me.
Happy hunting
Aug 20th 2007, 7:45 am
#4
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Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Beachlands, East Auckland
Posts: 2,957
Re: double it and add ten....
If its of any help we have finally found a decent rental after 10 solid days of looking and I have to agree the descriptions and photos do have alot to be desired. Even the kiwis think they are taking the ****!
The best estate agents we found were Barfoot & Thompson, the agents actually answered our phonecalls and emails and were helpful, cannot say the same for some others. We may have just been lucky
We were given a tip by a kiwi couple that as the rentals are in short supply at the moment an advert in the Herald on a Wenesday saying you are looking for a rental in x area with x rooms may help. We also found that Trade-me was quite good as you could contact the agents or owners immediately by phone. You can also set up email alerts on some real estate sites.
Good luck with hunting, there are some lovely houses out there - we did see a beautiful modern 4 bedroom room, which was immaculate and backed on to Cornwall Park at $650pw. We think they could have easily got alot more! Unfortunately they wanted a long term rental (unfurnished) for a time that did not match our requirements. This was on Trade me.
Happy hunting
The best estate agents we found were Barfoot & Thompson, the agents actually answered our phonecalls and emails and were helpful, cannot say the same for some others. We may have just been lucky
We were given a tip by a kiwi couple that as the rentals are in short supply at the moment an advert in the Herald on a Wenesday saying you are looking for a rental in x area with x rooms may help. We also found that Trade-me was quite good as you could contact the agents or owners immediately by phone. You can also set up email alerts on some real estate sites.
Good luck with hunting, there are some lovely houses out there - we did see a beautiful modern 4 bedroom room, which was immaculate and backed on to Cornwall Park at $650pw. We think they could have easily got alot more! Unfortunately they wanted a long term rental (unfurnished) for a time that did not match our requirements. This was on Trade me.
Happy hunting
Aug 21st 2007, 6:55 am
#5
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Location: Woburn, Wellington
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Re: double it and add ten....
Two days, two rentals and two very nice agents so all's not so bad after all.
Jean from elite showed us a house in Farm Cove which she was very open about and agreed it was old and tired (its going to be flatened in 2 years for development). This agent seemed very motivated and has worked on a few other possibilities for us knowing what we want from a house. (Jean is an ex pat herself)
Today we've looked at a simply stunning property out in the country with a Bayleys agent, a kiwi who was extremely helpful and again very forthcoming with every detail we wanted. We think we've secured this property and its fabulous location and views so fingers crossed.
If you're looking i would suggest that Elite property management would be a good agent to use. Jean has not found ours but she seems like a good person to use and i imagine from talking to her and her effort in a short period that she'd work hard on your requirements.
Jean from elite showed us a house in Farm Cove which she was very open about and agreed it was old and tired (its going to be flatened in 2 years for development). This agent seemed very motivated and has worked on a few other possibilities for us knowing what we want from a house. (Jean is an ex pat herself)
Today we've looked at a simply stunning property out in the country with a Bayleys agent, a kiwi who was extremely helpful and again very forthcoming with every detail we wanted. We think we've secured this property and its fabulous location and views so fingers crossed.
If you're looking i would suggest that Elite property management would be a good agent to use. Jean has not found ours but she seems like a good person to use and i imagine from talking to her and her effort in a short period that she'd work hard on your requirements.
Aug 24th 2007, 2:53 am
#6
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Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Woburn, Wellington
Posts: 753
Re: double it and add ten....
Today we've looked at a simply stunning property out in the country with a Bayleys agent, a kiwi who was extremely helpful and again very forthcoming with every detail we wanted. We think we've secured this property and its fabulous location and views so fingers crossed.
Back to looking.......
Aug 24th 2007, 3:58 am
#7
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Joined: Mar 2006
Location: North Shore
Posts: 1,417
Re: double it and add ten....
My mate had a house in Awaruku Road and he lost count how many times some korean businessman would try to buy his house a well above market value just to sell it the next week to another Asian business person. He gave in after 14 years and now moved back to South Island.
House was last seen up for rent for $1200 per week
To think he paid $20,000 for that back in 1993 not sure how much he sold for but believe not far off half million.
House was last seen up for rent for $1200 per week
To think he paid $20,000 for that back in 1993 not sure how much he sold for but believe not far off half million.
