Arrival accommodation help

[guspjmh]

Hi all. We are looking to make the permanent move over on January 9th next year, and are unsure how to proceed with rentals.

 

While we would like to get a long term rental ASAP, we will have our container coming so will need an unfurnished place, but then we will need to buy essentials from ikea to stock it prior to our container arriving. With this in mind we were thinking of getting arrival accommodation for a few weeks, with maybe a weeks overlap with our long term rental so that we can get stuff like a couple of beds etc and its ready to move into with the kids.

 

the problem we are facing is that it's high season and despite the help of people on here offering discounts, the prices are prohibitively expensive for holiday rentals. One estate agent has offered to do a property finding service for 550 dollars, so we could maybe get away with just a couple of nights in a hotel if we have accommodation lined up.

 

How long is it likely to take to find and get the keys to a long term rental? Also Does anyone have any advice on securing cheaper arrival accommodation, or should I just take the hit and book something?

 

advice appreciated.

[flossybeth]

Try one of the Aussie House Sitting websites perhaps - we secured 10 weeks accommodation via two sets of lovely people who need someone to look after their houses (and dogs) whilst they were away - we only had to pay the utility bills.

[Guest vikkiann]

We booked with century 21 in Aldinga. They have properties in different areas but the house we stayed in was 1 street back from the esplanade. Because we booked it for 4 weeks, we only paid $350 per week, this was fully furnished including all bills.

We found a long term rental in the 2nd or 3rd week and requested that our lease started 2 days before we were due to move out of the holiday let.

I would think that in January 2 weeks should be enough but obviously it depends what comes on the market.

Is it Port Noarlunga you are looking at?

[guspjmh]

We booked with century 21 in Aldinga. They have properties in different areas but the house we stayed in was 1 street back from the esplanade. Because we booked it for 4 weeks, we only paid $350 per week, this was fully furnished including all bills.

We found a long term rental in the 2nd or 3rd week and requested that our lease started 2 days before we were due to move out of the holiday let.

I would think that in January 2 weeks should be enough but obviously it depends what comes on the market.

Is it Port Noarlunga you are looking at?

 

Yes, port noarlunga or south christies beach area. I looked at century 21 properties, but the cheapest i can find in jan was 950pw! Flossy - a link to the house sitting website would be appreciated!

[Guest vikkiann]

Their website is hard to work, I just looked and the nearest to Port Noarlunga they have is Moana

 

http://www.aldingabeach.com.au/property/182/?sleeps=4&datefrom=2014-01-01&dateto=2014-01-01&

[guspjmh]

Thanks Vikki. I had another look, they do have 2 properties at Port Noarlunga, and quite a few from Moana to Aldinga - but the absolute cheapest is $950pw excluding cleaning/linen, which is quite a lot!

 

Really unsure what to do, as $3k+ is quite a lot to spend on arrival accommodation for a few weeks.

[Guest Mrs Bon Jovi]

Don't just go by the prices advertised online Gus. You may well get a reduced rate if you enquire and tell them you are looking for 3-4 weeks.

I know when we came over the place we stayed was advertised as about $200 a night online but we paid nowhere near that!

[guspjmh]

Don't just go by the prices advertised online Gus. You may well get a reduced rate if you enquire and tell them you are looking for 3-4 weeks.

I know when we came over the place we stayed was advertised as about $200 a night online but we paid nowhere near that!

 

There isn't a lot available, and I've made 4 enquiries - the cheapest is $950pw.

 

 

Did you come out in January too? Any recommendations?

[Guest Mrs Bon Jovi]

There isn't a lot available, and I've made 4 enquiries - the cheapest is $950pw.

 

 

Did you come out in January too? Any recommendations?

 

Yep, we came out Jan 2012. Our house sold in the December so we had to try and find somewhere with only 6 weeks notice but we were towards the end of January and the end of the school hols.

Have you looked at

http://www.adelaideshorttermrentals.com.au/

http://www.takeabreak.com.au/

http://www.stayz.com.au/

 

Or what about caravan/holiday parks?

Maybe pm Lyn on here, I know her Mum and Dad used a house sitting site when they came over last Summer.

[guspjmh]

Used stayz mainly, although have also tried adelaide short term rentals. Will take a look at holiday parks - thanks!

 

edit - have sent a few enquiries to holiday parks, which look ideal for a quick base while landing our long term rental. Cheers.

Edited June 27, 2013 by guspjmh

[NicF]

January is peak time for holiday rentals, especially near the sea. You might have more luck finding somewhere cheaper if you try some of the more inland areas - I know it's not where you want to be long term but if it's just a base for two or three weeks it wouldn't be too bad.

[Keith & Linda]

Guys, I am staying in furnished/serviced 2 bed apartments ( The Grand Apartments) in North Adelaide prices are somewhere between $450 - $650 per week, price varies depending on service level, like they do a weekly service or you yourself do it and they just provide clean sheets and towels. google 'Adelaide Regent Apartments' as they manage several complex's as well as the Grand. Going for this type of accomadation will ease the burden/stress of buying/finding beds bedding etc until your container arrives. You can also do a google search for variants of furnished accomadation.

Good luck

 

Hi all. We are looking to make the permanent move over on January 9th next year, and are unsure how to proceed with rentals.

 

While we would like to get a long term rental ASAP, we will have our container coming so will need an unfurnished place, but then we will need to buy essentials from ikea to stock it prior to our container arriving. With this in mind we were thinking of getting arrival accommodation for a few weeks, with maybe a weeks overlap with our long term rental so that we can get stuff like a couple of beds etc and its ready to move into with the kids.

 

the problem we are facing is that it's high season and despite the help of people on here offering discounts, the prices are prohibitively expensive for holiday rentals. One estate agent has offered to do a property finding service for 550 dollars, so we could maybe get away with just a couple of nights in a hotel if we have accommodation lined up.

 

How long is it likely to take to find and get the keys to a long term rental? Also Does anyone have any advice on securing cheaper arrival accommodation, or should I just take the hit and book something?

 

advice appreciated.

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

Have a look on gumtree and Air B'n'B as well, we got our short term place through gumtree, it was lovely, and I know the guy advertises on Air B'n'B as well, there are quite a few that are a lot cheaper than other places and a lot lot cheaper than a hotel. You can do just a couple of nights or weeks.

 

With regards to how long to getting into a place, it sort of depends on your attitude and situation. If you already have a job contract, you're on easy street, so its only limited by how fussy you are.

 

We got very picky indeed once we started looking at places, but we didn't have jobs so were turned down by one place (although I have a bit of a sneaky feeling the agent didn't even submit us, saying she was a bit lazy and didn't really do her job is a bit of an understatement), but we got accepted for the other place we applied for (I wrote a long letter explaining our situation and showed a few grand in the bank to cover the first few months rent even if we didn't get jobs). We also had a bit of an issue because we aren't tied to one place for work (Hubby works from home generally and I'm a teacher so there are schools where-ever you are really, so we had the choice of anywhere as well as whatever type of house etc (its just us two, no kids yet), so we had too much choice which made it harder. Had we had to take somewhere in a specific place, it would have been easier and we probably would have taken somewhere quicker lol. We got a place within 2.5 weeks of looking, but it was another 2 weeks before we could move in (it was a new build being finished off). If we weren't waiting for the place to be finished off the time line would have been:

 

Monday: go to open and put in application, Tues/Weds: hear back from agent saying we had been accepted, Thurs: Go sign contract, pay deposit and first weeks rent, and get keys and move in. As it was we signed contracts then went back 2 weeks later to get the keys. Things generally move pretty fast here, once you have applied the agent will contact the person who owns the house to tell them people want to rent the place and give the owner the details, then the owner makes a yes or no decision within a few hours, at most 24 from what we saw. And then as soon as you've given them the bond and signed contracts you can move in if its a vacant place.

 

This was in May this year, so obviously the other end of the year from you, but the agents told us it was a bit quiet in Jan, as people want to move in before Christmas, so there is a bit of a rush then and then its a bit dead for January until the schools go back at least, but really for about 6 weeks after. Don't know how true that is but its what a couple said to us when we asked about that sort of thing.

[guspjmh]

Don't want to tempt fate, but I think I may have found something! Thanks all - your help has been massively appreciated, just need to wait for them to get back to me with confirmation of availability....

[guspjmh]

Well, the lady has confirmed and I am making the payment when I get paid tomorrow!

 

Lovely little cottage in Port Noarlunga which we found on airbnb; right by the Primary school which is just perfect for a month while we find our feet. So relieved, so thanks again for all the help everybody.

 

I am hoping to have a job or be in the latter stages of recruitment before we make the move, but even if I don't we will have enough proof of funds to secure a property, so hopefully agreeing a long term rental should be straightforward?

[flossybeth]

http://www.aussiehousesitters.com.au/

 

These are the ones we used - you do have to join but we figured that the cost of joining was very well balanced out by the cost saved in accommodation. We were told that as a family of 5 we might struggle but were fortunate enough to have two back to back sits (both were UK families so were aware of the huge move we were experiencing).

 

Good luck with it, it really is just cost on cost at this stage so I hope you work something out.

[Ktee]

http://www.aussiehousesitters.com.au/

 

These are the ones we used - you do have to join but we figured that the cost of joining was very well balanced out by the cost saved in accommodation. We were told that as a family of 5 we might struggle but were fortunate enough to have two back to back sits (both were UK families so were aware of the huge move we were experiencing).

 

Good luck with it, it really is just cost on cost at this stage so I hope you work something out.

Aussie House Sitters are good, we used them to find a sitter a few years back when we went traveling Oz for 5 weeks. We ended up having a sitter who was my sons teacher. If ever we go away again we would use them, it's cheaper than paying for kennels and it's great for the people who need a property for a few weeks. One of my fellow veterinarians did the house sitting and had somewhere to stay 11 months of the year rent and utilities free.

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

I am hoping to have a job or be in the latter stages of recruitment before we make the move, but even if I don't we will have enough proof of funds to secure a property, so hopefully agreeing a long term rental should be straightforward?

 

Hopefully so - if you don't already have a job just write a letter explaining how easy it is for you to get a job and the income you should be on once you do, and why its easy for you to get a job or something (eg, I'm a teacher, so I didn't even put anything about how easy it is to get a job really, just commented that everyone knows its easy for teachers to get work lol, and the oh is self employed and had run his own business in the UK for 20 years, so that seemed to go down well, with his estimated earnings put down as well). Like you say with the proof of funds bank statement you'll be fine

 

Please please please just walk away from ANY rental agent that wants more than 6 weeks rent + 2 weeks in advance as a bond/rent in advance if you don't have a job - this is illegal and they are NOT allowed to do it, and by accepting this it just makes it more difficult for others coming from overseas. We had one agent that said no-one would take us if we didn't have jobs so would have to give her 5 or 6 months rent in advance - we smiled sweetly and promptly left and didn't bother going to look at any more places advertised by that agent.

[Guest Gulsanga]

Check out gumtree you will find so much.

[Ktee]

Check out gumtree you will find so much.

Very true just be wary of scams, lots of innocent people have been caught out.

[Guest Guest75]

Very true just be wary of scams, lots of innocent people have been caught out.

 

This is what I have always tried to get across, I've had so many calls from ripped off or disappointed people asking if we can help. One guy found the "apartment" had matresses on the floor and no stove! - that was in Glenelg!

[Ktee]

This is what I have always tried to get across, I've had so many calls from ripped off or disappointed people asking if we can help. One guy found the "apartment" had matresses on the floor and no stove! - that was in Glenelg!

 

You are lucky he had anything, we had a family of 5 call us in desperate need of accommodation, they had just flown London to Melbourne, had booked and paid for accommodation for 5 weeks in Melbourne, paid the full $5,000 up front arrived at the address to find a little old lady answer the door (owner) who knew nothing about it and the photos on gumtree were not inside her property. They never got their money back. I've also heard many people on PIO being scammed on there

[Guest Gulsanga]

Oh now that's scary. So what do u suggest? First few nights hotel? Or what ?

[Guest Helchops]

I know it's difficult but you'll want to chat with members on here who have also made the move and who have been through this all before for the best recommendations.

 

We stayed in a lovely property in Warradale which was absolutely perfect; the lovely Landlady came and picked us up from the airport; had already purchased some food that we'd asked for, cooked dinner for us and really welcomed us into their family which is something that was so beautiful and will never be forgotten; it made that feeling of, 'Oh my gosh, we're here' feeling so much warmer and cosier!

 

It was also furnished so we didn't need to wait for our things to arrive and was very useful having everything we needed under one roof - plus we could crawl into bed after the long trip!

 

The link is http://www.warmwelcome.webs.com/ but If you want any more information please don't hesitate to ask and I can put you in touch with Di who is the landlady.

[Guest Gulsanga]

Wow that sounds like a dream holiday to me.. I have to start working on it will be landing in September '13