The 1st weeks - Househunting Part 2

So how did we remedy this? How did we get ourselves moving forward? Through some connections - yes, it really is about who you know - Marty got a 'job', and then thankfully, after interviews and trials so did I. Once a contract was signed, they were happy. I'll get back to the job situation eventually, but back to the beginning, and property!

We revised our search too. We started looking at specific areas and changed our price bracket to a little higher.

In that1st week we were far from this point, and it looked like it was the Park Bench Hotel for these 2 wary travellers. The other adjustment was our body clocks, we were 2 hours ahead, getting up early was fine, but we were with people on Melbourne time so getting to bed early was hard. Top that with the most uncomfortable mattress in history and e were functioning on very little quality sleep. By the end of the 1st Friday, we were shattered. We really were in dire straits, so Marty's folks put us up for the weekend in a hotel down Toorak Rd, till the following Tuesday, and they headed home on the Friday. As Christmas presents for ourselves we had got tickets for the 1-day International Cricket game between South Africa and Australia, so off we went, got back to our hotel that night and crashed on the supremely comfortable mattress and slept most of Saturday.And quite a bit of Sunday. By Monday we were ready to rock 'n roll again.

I'm sure you're just tired reading about that first week - well, it makes me tired just to think about it.

We ended up staying with some true guardian angels at this point - Ken & Penny. The other people who added some sanity - and some much needed advice - were Julie and Dave. I don't know what we would have done without these people. It was the generosity shown to us, in their different ways, that set it very clearly in my mind that we had to be people who could help others when they relocated here. Moving countries, no matter how close or far (this is my 3rd move, my parents have made 2 major overseas moves too) is hard without someone to be able to extend a hand. Even if it's as small as a BBQ, a vino and some home goss, or as big as offering a room and bed.

A few other points to help:

• January is a difficult month to find somewhere to live because everyone else is doing it too. All the uni students are coming back and people are relocating for work, so competition is fierce. Try mid-late February and March. although there are less places, you're more likely to find and get something because instead of 90 people there's only 10-15.
• If you have a written reference or 2 from your previous landlord(s) bring them and put them in with your application. It shows a good renting history, and you won't have 1 here if you've just moved over.
• If you don't have to rush into something, don't. Making rash decisions that don't feel right end up costing you more in the long run, and make for a tense situations. More on that later - Major Disaster story #1.
• The Saturday papers, especially The Age, which has the Domain section are invaluable, as are their websites, because they also list private landlords. Some are great and reasonable, others crazy - wait till you hear about ours! www.domain.com.au
• You'll find lots of inspections on at the same time. Be really realistic and specific in your search criteria, so hopefully you get the right place. This is where that earlier advice of using the time before you start working to see as many places as possible.
• www.realestate.com.au is the most comprehensive rental and purchasing website we found. They have an area that's 'Open for Inspection' so you can get to see the places that are available and open to look at each day without having to wade through thousands of ads each day. Set up your account with them (it's free) and get regular alerts as soon as places go on. Bear in mind though that pictures can be deceiving.
• Most places are open for inspection 2 weeks before they are available to rent. That's the earliest allowed by law. There will be places available straight away because they are empty. If you can, go to the property managers and pick up keys for those places that are empty. Especially if you have a week day off, because it allows you to see more places at your own pace and time. They normally want a $50 deposit and photo ID and you have an hour to get there and back with the keys and check it out. As most keys are held at the office in the area that the property is, it isn't that hard to do. We managed to do 3/4 in a day once or twice, and worked through a lot of No's. We managed to look at 20-30 places in the middle of a heatwave - Not fun!!

Disaster story number 1 is next to follow!

xoxo