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Househunting. Ugh

We are officially house hunting. Our lease is up soon, and we definitely want to live on our own.

I really didn’t want to end up going through a property agent, because I didn’t want to pay their ridiculous letting fees – a week’s rent PLUS GST, for crying out loud.

But I figured, if that is what we have to do to secure a nice place, so be it.

Unfortunately, I have been let down. The day before we left for Waiheke, I spoke to one property manager about viewing a house. He never got back to me about arranging a time, despite me leaving both my numbers and email. We got back on Tuesday evening, and I logged on to TradeMe only to see that a viewing time had been added to the listing, and that viewing time was ending RIGHT ABOUT THEN. Literally. Yeah, thanks for nothing.

Then I left a message with another agent for another house. The reply: How would 3.15 on Thursday suit you?

Well, what do you think? How well does 3.15 on Thursday suit ANYONE?

But apparently they only do open homes M-F, 9-4.30. No weekends. WTF.

Yet open homes for houses on SALE are always held on Saturday and Sunday.

Maybe PMs get paid salary rather than commission, and therefore don’t give a crap about actually being helpful to prospective tenants.

I’d welcome being proved wrong, though. Anyone want to step up?

Anyway, I’ve decided to forget about that place. Had the PM done their job and actually provided photos of the important stuff – kitchen and bathroom – I would be able to decide whether we really wanted the place, and whether it would be worth trying to rearrange my schedule to make it to a viewing. But she didn’t. Too bad.

I am now even more determined to find a place with a private landlord.

And while I’m on the topic, it never ceases to amaze me how low the quality of housing – ESPECIALLY for smaller dwellings – is around here. I want a nice one/two bedroom place with insulation, a full kitchen (stove and oven), mixer taps (not , off street parking and preferably without concrete block walls, for up to $300 a week. But that, apparently, is a tall order in Auckland. The market is so ridiculous that people are prepared to live in absolute holes sometimes.

11 thoughts on “Househunting. Ugh

  • Reply RainyDaySaver February 27, 2010 at 14:29

    I had to look up what a “mixer tap” is — I didn’t realize that was something I should have a preference about! Alas, we only have a mixer tap for our kitchen sink, not for the bathroom sinks or showers. Good luck with the search!

    • Reply eemusings February 27, 2010 at 14:43

      Haha, separate hot and cold taps are a dealbreaker for me. I *almost* wouldn’t mind it in the bathroom, but I have a weird thing about how I wash my face. Yeah, I know…

  • Reply Jessie February 27, 2010 at 17:27

    wow…i so don’t envy your house search. good luck finding something new!

  • Reply unknowntheartist February 28, 2010 at 01:30

    I know what you mean with real estate agents not getting back to you in time. We missed a nice place with an agent because the agent had not completed the application.
    On the second place we tried with the same agent, we called them about our progress to which they admitted they had not completed the first application ( a week before). We were so angry that we stayed on their asses, got them to complete everything and basically made them give us the place.
    We are still here comfortable and have no trouble with the agents two years later. I can say for sure, we will never buy a home from them, which we are in the market for soon. Puts you off dealing with real estate agencies forever when you have a bad experience with one.

  • Reply Stephany February 28, 2010 at 06:18

    I’ve never been house hunting but I have been apartment hunting and sometimes, the people who work for these apartments are just so rude and unfriendly. Or they just attack you with wanting you to sign a lease RIGHT THEN. It’s annoying but I imagine it would be that much more annoying when dealing with real estate agents.

    I hope you find a better agent who is more willing to work with you! Good luck!

  • Reply Amber from Girl with the Red Hair February 28, 2010 at 09:23

    Oh craazzy! I don’t think I’ve ever heard of getting an agent for house-hunting for a place to rent. I just found a place to rent on my own, it was a bit stressful though! Lol

  • Reply The Asian Pear February 28, 2010 at 13:41

    I’ve apartment/house hunted a few times. it always sucks. have you considered apartments as part of your search?

    Good luck!

  • Reply eemusings February 28, 2010 at 13:54

    @ Asian Pear – apartments aren’t common in most of Auckland. The suburban ones are terrible (so many apartments/townhouses were built quickly and are leaky and flimsy). And pretty much all apartments are shoeboxes, unless you have a huge budget.

    The other place you find apartments is the CBD, and neither of us are super keen to live in the middle of town (although it would be handy for me and work…he works in the opposite direction). Although some of the tiny ones are fairly affordable, they often don’t have carparks. :@

    Haha, we are so hard to please!

  • Reply unknowntheartist February 28, 2010 at 14:17

    You should come to OZ, the housing industry is going hard on high density developments.
    I can barely see a single house in my neighbourhood, it’s unit/apartment blocks as far as the eye can see. We’re kind of inner city but suburban enough for our liking.

  • Reply eemusings February 28, 2010 at 14:21

    Never been to Oz – sometimes toy with the idea though, with so many people saying how much better the pay is over there, etc (plus I love warm weather!)

  • Reply paranoidasteroid March 1, 2010 at 13:15

    Ugh, I have stayed for years in terrible living conditions just to not have to deal with the stress of moving.

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