Welcome to Better Real Estate, a podcast about all things property! This episode is about choosing the best rental. How can you find a great place to live and make it your own?
Dora and Greg have never rented! But they do know something about it as Dora’s son rents and Greg is a landlord himself having built a granny flat on his property. They talk shop with Michael Sloan of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and and Alanna Smit, a renovation, extension and design expert from Cove Creatives is back. This is a must-listen for tips on getting the rental you want and design tips on turning it into a home.
Here are some of the key topics discussed in the podcast. We’ve also created a checklist to help you begin your house flipping journey.
Download our Find the Perfect Rental Checklist here
Securing a rental property
Michael Sloan has very clear advice when it comes to renting. First of all, when you are inspecting a property you need to show up on time. Engage with the real estate agent, ask them questions and tell them about yourself, you want to be remembered when the applications are being reviewed. Speaking of the application, filling it out properly is crucial. If it is missing details it can easily go to the bottom of the pile, as the agent won’t want to waste time chasing up information when they have complete applications to process instead. You need to be very clear about your employment and rental history, as the agent is looking for the best tenant for their landlord and that means someone reliable. For your part, you want a home you enjoy living in so make sure you ask questions. You can enquire about the landlord’s intentions. Is it an investment property and can you potentially rent for years? Are there known problems with the neighbours? Is the landlord willing to make upgrades to the property such as flyscreens on the windows? The takeaway is communication. Engage with the agent, tell them about yourself and ask questions about the property.
Styling your rental
Whether you live in a place for six months or 16 years you want it to feel like yours. And while there are restrictions on what renters can do, there is no reason you can’t make your home your own when you’re a tenant. You can do almost anything as long as you have your landlord’s permission and pay for the work and materials. That includes painting, changing tapware and other cosmetic updates. But what about tricks that don’t cost a lot of dosh? Don’t love the flooring? Alanna Smit says rugs are all the rage these days and you don’t have to stop at one, layering rugs is a thing! And you can get them in all shapes and sizes, including round. Not allowed to put nails in the walls? Pictures and mirrors don’t need to be hung. They look super stylish propped on sideboards, stools or just leaning against the wall. They key is to create vignettes of your things, so a corner with a picture, chair and plant would be one. Lighting is also important, swapping ceiling fixtures is a possibility but even better is to use floor and table lamps to create mood lighting. There are so many ways to make your home your own.
And check out The BHG guide to homeownership.
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