Don't Start Looking Until You Know What You Want

by Perry Beebe

Even with the amount of rental property stock available in the market today, it is still not easy for a tenant to find the perfect rental property. There is any number of issues to consider, and the difficulty increases if there are pets involved or a large household to be accommodated. Units have continued to be popular as lifestyles get busier and there are now ample choices in this type of property, with small unit blocks, large gated communities and massive high rises with hundreds of apartments now available for tenants to choose from. The suburban home is still popular with families with pets and young children, and space perhaps, to indulge a hobby.

With all these competing demands it is not surprising that looking for a rental property can become very stressful, and this is especially true if the tenant is on a slim budget. Usually, the more people who will be occupying the property, the more difficult it is to find something that suits everyone. If there is more than one person making the decisions, compromising on desirable features is often the only way to get agreement.

A good strategy in this situation is to make a list with three categories -- essential features, good to have features and indifferent features. Identify all the features that everyone wants in their new rental, and place them in one of the three categories. There are a couple of benefits to this method. Everyone gets an equal opportunity for their needs to be acknowledged, the exercise identifies the most important features to search for, and the tenants have a ready-made list to help a rentals agent find their ideal property.

The location is one of the most important decisions to make, and often narrows down the available choices. If the family has a sick or elderly person to consider, proximity to health services, hospitals and transport is important. Children and young people need ready access to schools and tertiary institutions as well as sporting and recreational facilities; everyone needs access to supermarkets, chemists and other retail outlets and the breadwinners must be able to get to work without hours of commuting. There should be opportunities for community involvement if that is a driving force for some members of the household.

Acceptance of pets by the lessor is another key aspect to the search for rental properties. Many tenants keep cats, dogs or birds, and some keep other, more unusual pets. Responsible tenants who ensure that their non-human friends don't annoy the neighbours, and who keep their habitat clean will usually find a rental property which allows pets to be kept on the premises.

The goal for a tenant is to find a rental property that has most of the features they want. The goal for the lessor is to find a reputable tenant who will pay their rent on time, look after the property and observe all the conditions of the rental agreement. When they both come together, it can be the beginning of a satisfying, long-term relationship.

About Perry Beebe Perry is the Managing Director of All Residential Real Estate. All Residential Real Estate is a boutique agency passionate about providing very high levels of customer service. We believe that property sales and management is about you. It's about how you feel when you sell your property or have a property managed through an agent. At All Residential Real Estate, you have very experienced professionals who take pride in everything they do.   You can also find Perry in Google+