prowest 
If you’re going to be looking for a rental property in January or February then you may be facing a lot of competition.
A lot of people tend to move around at this time of year – university students might be moving out of home for the first time, families need to secure a home before the school year gets underway, and then there’s people simply looking for a fresh new start to the year.
It can be disheartening turning up to a rental inspection to find that there are 50 others just as interested in the property as you, but you don’t know what their situation is and even if they are going to apply.
If there are going to be a few applications to the property though then there are things you can do to help set yourself apart from the crowd.
Turn up to inspections on time
Make a good impression with the property manager from the get-go by making sure that you turn up to any inspections on time, or maybe even slightly early.
A popular property may have a few people waiting to view it so if you turn up a little early you’ll be the first person to be able to get inside the property and take a good look.
Talk to the property manager
Take the time to introduce yourself to the property manager and ask them questions about the property. Remember the property manager will be making recommendations to the landlord so you should always be polite and aiming to make a positive impression.
Have documents at the ready
Be prepared to apply for properties as soon you can by having all necessary documents, such as identification documents, proof of income and references, at the ready. You may even want to have an application form completed and ready to hand in after the inspection.
Along with all of your documents you’ll want to make sure you have enough bond money ready to transfer and are organised and ready to move into the property when it becomes available.
Follow up
If you haven’t heard back about your application after a day or two then it could be worth getting in touch with the property manager to see if there are any issues holding up your application, and if there’s anything you can do to address any concerns about it.
