Posted by admin on 13 August 2010
With the rental market so much more unstable than a year or so ago, vacancy rates are up and so there is a smorgeousboard of available properties for tenants to choose from. Across the inner city it’s not unusual for an apartment to sit vacant for over a month if the leasing agents don’t keep their ears open for market feedback on the asking rent.
So what can a landlord do to attract more tenants and keep the good ones? Presentation and maintenance upkeep of the home is critical. Allowing pets is a biggie – lots of people have their surrogate child/lap warmer and aren’t allowed to bring them to their rental home. And there’s a list on our website of other items tenants always look for.
One idea that landlords often forget is the offer of a long term lease. Tenants don’t enjoy moving (help me carry the fridge down the stairs anyone!) and if they’ve been there for a term, they like it, you’re happy with their payment history and regard for the home, why not offer them an extended lease of 2 years?
Bees Nees head of Property Management Annie von Rudzinski says the stability of a long lease can be a big attraction to tenants.
“If they are happy with the property a longer lease might just be the reason they need to put down their roots. A home is a personal thing to all of us and some landlords probably overlook the connection a tenant can make with the property. Offering a long lease means they can enjoy a greater sense of security and pride in their home and that is a positive thing for all parties.”
Annie says annual or bi-annual rent increases can be agreed in advance. “In this quieter market they might not agree to big jumps in the future but an investor can consider that against the costs of turnover of tenants.”
Tags: Brisbane rentals, Rent negotiation Brisbane, renting to pets Brisbane, Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act, rules of renting, tenancy agreement Queensland
Posted in Brisbane landlords, Brisbane's rental market | No Comments »
Posted by admin on 14 May 2009
Okay so students, pets, children, males, teenagers, early 20’s – all cop the short end of the stick when applying for rental property. Some agents do discriminate rather than judge an application on its merits.
And while there are anti-discrimination laws, anti-sexism laws, anti-ageism laws etc, the unfortunate reality is that agents, by virtue of the law, do not need to give a reason why someone has been placed in the property over someone else.
The interesting thing about the executive market this year is that many of the higher-end properties are being snapped up by overseas students with very little/no rental history who are here on large government grants. And unfortunately there are very few corporate execs around, so landlords haven’t had the choice of tenants they’ve had in the past.
So, what’s the best way of dealing with this?
Well firstly if the rent is over $500 per week ($700 after July 1st 2009) you can nominate any bond you like! So take 6/8 weeks rent instead of just 4. Think outside the box – could you include a cleaner in the rent so there is another pair of eyes watching over the property?
I write this in genuine fear that I’ll be slapped with some sort of anti discrimination suit, but the fact is I’m trying to educate people that students/pets/children/young males can make absolutely fantastic tenants, just as females can be dreadful tenants. So don’t discount them but in order to be worry free just come up with a way to ensure that you’re protecting yourself while still giving someone their chance. They deserve it!
Tags: Brisbane executive property, rental bond Queensland, renting to pets Brisbane, student tenants Brisbane, tenancy applications Queensland, tenant marketing Brisbane
Posted in Brisbane landlords | No Comments »
Posted by Rob Honeycombe on 21 June 2007
With more domestic animals in Queensland than humans it was only a matter of time til we heard the patter of little paws throughout the inner city. While landlords may not be as open to the idea, owner-residents are bringing their 4-leggers with them in big numbers. Across Australia almost two-thirds of households have a pet – there’s 819,000 dogs and 443,000 cats in this state alone!
So rather than designing near city apartments, townhouses and small lot homes to be child-friendly, architects need to be thinking about the moggies and rat-sized dogs that provide company (and security) for so many Brisbanites. In many countries of course pets have co-habitated with us for many years in medium and high density. Experts say a view of the outside world, places for play and noise separation from neighbours are some of the big issues.
Inner city living appeals to households pre-kids, no-kids and post-kids and naturally these groups are often the same ones to enjoy a pet’s company. So it’s simple logic that if you go to sell you’ll take longer and may get a lower price if pets aren’t allowed in your building and a huge part of your market is ruled out. Landlords know that allowing a pet often produces a premium rent, and managed well, the impact on the property should be minimal if any.
Despite what you’ve heard most apartment buildings can accept pets. The standard Queensland by-laws give the committee rights to approve an animal, and it’s rare for the developer to have changed these in the set-up. Usually it’s the committee that haven’t had help dealing with the issue so, worried about potential for complaints (and in an unpaid and thankless job) they naturally duck for cover when the question’s raised. We recently sold a penthouse apartment where the owners’ main reason for moving was to buy a dog. One major development recently promoted its pet-friendliness as a key selling feature in a big ad campaign.
Of course there’s also a market for those who aren’t happy to share the lift with a sniffy-nosed mutt and some buyers are seeking out apartments where pets are banned. But with so much interest, and money, in the issue we do expect plenty more inner city buildings to bite the bullet and adopt some sensible rules for living in harmony with our furry, feathered and finned companions.
Tags: body corporate issues Queensland, Brisbane home design, pets, renting to pets Brisbane
Posted in Brisbane's rental market, Brisbane's sales market, trends in Brisbane property | 1 Comment »
