House Viewings

Meglamonia

Currently looking for a house to rent through daft.ie the last few weeks in Dublin.

Does anyone have any tips for actually getting the house once you have a viewing. It seems really competitive. We're three young professionals and are turning up well dressed in suits etc.

We've had 6/7 viewings already to find we didn't get the house. It's really disheartening.

Would turning up with the money to the viewing and telling them just take it be any use its getting that desperate.

Gumbo

Where are you looking? ie. What area?
Are they renting for more than the advertised rate? ie. are others offering above and beyond?

mirrorwall14

Folder with references and all relevant required information with you?

SarahS2013

It's a crazy market at the moment, I recently went through it myself.
It depends on if you're dealing with an agency or an individual.
Agency probably isn't going to take cash on the spot (most of the decent ones anyway!) and will request a transfer of the deposit to secure. Showing up with your references to hand though should help.
We ended up "befriending" one of the letting agents and when we lost out on one house, said she would give us first dibs on another one coming up on the same road a week later before advertising it.
The agency from my old place also said they had let without advertising recently too so I think it might be worth seeing if you can go down that route?

duffman13

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Folder with references and all relevant required information with you?

This, my last tenants arrived with all references, bank statements, work references and even utility bills. It came across as very professional and very organised so they went straight to the front of the queue despite my initial thoughts when I seen everyone arriving.

The other thing is make it very clear on leaving that you are 100% interested and want it. A lot of people leave a viewing without expressing a solid interest and then later decide they want it, however these people are less memorable in my opinion.

Aye Bosun

I rent a room in my home and also manage a rented property, so he's my two cents on getting a place.

When inquiring by email or phone always include details about yourself and other tenants

1. Employment Status
2. Landlord and Work reference are available
3. Reason for moving ie. for work, nicer area, for schools etc
4. Return contact details, seriously you'd be surprised how many don't included their phone number or never check their emails.

When viewing, have all your ducks in row and show really and genuine interest in the property, have a chat about the house, local amenities, bills etc. Have your references and anything else the ad requires with you on the day and if you're interested or not, show them to the landlord at the viewing.

Follow up immediately if you are interested in the property with a phone call to the landlord/agent, not text, pick up the phone and have a chat.

Be prepared to offer a larger deposit than required, ie 1.5x what they are asking, this shows both your ability to pay but also that you are prepared to put money where your month is and would be more likely to keep the place well as you've more to lose financially.

You'd be surprised by the email I get, 1 liner's 'is the room still available' or pushy 'need to see the room this evening, what time can i call'. Personally I vet tenants first from their email approach, if you're not arse to write an email to introduce yourself to a prospective landlord that you're probably not arsed looking after the property either.

Treat it like a job search, sell yourself to the landlord!

Arcade_Tryer

Aye Bosun wrote: »

Treat it like a job search, sell yourself to the landlord!

The sooner supply increases the better.

Meglamonia

SarahS2013 wrote: »

It's a crazy market at the moment, I recently went through it myself.
It depends on if you're dealing with an agency or an individual.
Agency probably isn't going to take cash on the spot (most of the decent ones anyway!) and will request a transfer of the deposit to secure. Showing up with your references to hand though should help.
We ended up "befriending" one of the letting agents and when we lost out on one house, said she would give us first dibs on another one coming up on the same road a week later before advertising it.
The agency from my old place also said they had let without advertising recently too so I think it might be worth seeing if you can go down that route?

Thanks to everyone for all the replies some great tips.

Sarah, do you mean calling into an estate agent and for example saying the next property you have in Terenure I'll take it? Being hopeful they'll just let it to me without advertising

SarahS2013

I'm not really sure exactly how they're letting without advertising, I can only assume it's the same way that we got our place. People showing up at viewings and being the second choice for the property, keeping in touch with the agency about any other properties coming up in the area and striking up a relationship with them that way.

R.D. aka MR.D

We were looking recently and it was a disaster. Those viewings with multiple people are a nightmare. The first appointment viewing with the actual landlord that we went to, we got it straight away. She was(and is) just a normal decent person.

My only advice is keep trying and see if you can get any viewings with landlords as opposed to agents. Friends have had similar experiences renting directly from landlords. Not half of the nonsense experienced trying to rent with agents.

Keep at it and you'll find something. It seems hopeless when you are in it but you'll get something.