Whether you’re interviewing for a job, on a date or handling a sale over the counter, the possibility of rejection can be a pretty frightening prospect… and applying for a rental property is certainly no exception.
Especially if that fear is coupled with the stress of looking for your new rental home in Sydney’s current unforgiving market – where tenants are on the move with interstate borders reopening, measures are relaxing with time, and more and more people are making a return to short-term rental accommodation… and filling the marketplace.
Hopeful tenants in South West Sydney may have already found themselves up against over 75 other hopeful tenants at Prudential Real Estate inspections in recent weeks, and faced with the question of how to beat the rapidly rising demand.
But the market aside, there are a number of ways to overcome the obstacle of knockback after knockback in any given market. We’ve shed the light on how to get your rental application at the top of the stack and boost your chances of having it approved – see our helpful tips below, straight from the leasing experts!
Searching for a rental property
Get in early.
The saying goes that the early bird catches the worm – and if an agent or landlord has found their perfect tenant, they’re probably not going to waste any more time continuing their search. So if you’ve found a rental that you’re keen on, you could save time by contacting the agent to ask questions before the inspection. This way you’ll have your questions answered, and the agent will know that you’re keen and may even advise you on what steps to take to get the property.
At the inspection
Be on time.
If you show up to a rental inspection just before or right as doors are closing, you’re not exactly going to leave a good impression. The agent will likely correlate this with how interested you are in the property, as well as your reliability – and reliability is everything for an agent who’s making an assessment of which tenants are more likely to pay their rent on time and care for the landlord’s property.
Look presentable.
By the same token, looking presentable at the open will give the impression that you’re taking the process seriously. While presentable means something different to every person, what it really comes down to is appearing clean and smart. If you take pride in your appearance, you’re more likely to take pride in everything else – and that includes where you live. Punctuality and presentation are both simple displays of respect, and guaranteed to give you the upper hand.
Be prepared to go that extra mile.
When the competition is high, the only way to jump on it is to make a competitive offer. But if making an offer above the asked rental price simply isn’t viable for you, there are other things you can do to stand out from the crowd. Ask the agent what terms are going to be beneficial to the landlord; this could include offering to pay rent in advance or the first few months upfront, which will show that you’re both keen and committed.
Putting in your application and offer
It starts with applying!
We don’t mean to state the obvious, but if there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to increase your chance of getting a rental, it’s to apply! It’s always surprising how many people don’t – and that’s because when there’s a high turnout at a rental open inspection, prospective tenants tend to think that they won’t stand a chance, and don’t end up applying at all. The reality is that a high number of interested prospective tenants does not equate to a high number of applications… so by applying for those seemingly ‘popular’ rentals, you’ll stand a much greater chance than you think.
Prepare your paperwork – here’s what you need.
In typical circumstances, our leasing team will look for the following in a tenancy application:
- A signed tenancy database disclosure form (provided by Prudential Real Estate upon application)
- Photo identification, such as passport, driver’s licence or proof of age card
- Proof of employment and income, such as pay slips, bank statements, invoices or tax records
- Proof of rental history (if you have rented) from previous agents
- Personal references, or any evidence from previous credible employers or landlords to validate that your identity and trustworthiness
- A cover letter – not always applicable, but they can be a real bonus when it comes to communicating who you are. Cover letters are especially great if you are without a rental history and haven’t rented before, whereby you showcase who you are and what makes you the most suitable candidate for the property. Be sure to keep it positive; introduce yourself, your education, employment and your current situation, so that the agent has more information to draw on.
Have everything ready to submit online.
If you’ve found your dream rental, you won’t want to delay applying – or to be scrambling around to find all of those docs at the last minute. Having everything that you need (listed above) before you start your search will mean less stress for you, and a more seamless process in the end – and it may even place you first in line in the candidate pool!
If you’re looking for a rental property to call home, see our current listings here– or for more information on how to apply online, head here.
Prudential Real Estate Campbelltown | (02) 4628 0033 | campbelltown@prudential.com.au
Prudential Real Estate Liverpool | (02) 9822 5999 | liverpool@prudential.com.au
Prudential Real Estate Macquarie Fields | (02) 9605 5333 | macquariefields@prudential.com.au
Prudential Real Estate Narellan | (02) 4624 4400 | narellan@prudential.com.au
