Where to look for accommodations? Suggested websites here

Ren

Hi All,

Often I received questions regarding this so I decided to create a separate thread. Here are the websites I have used before when I was searching for accommodation back when I'm still in Manila.


Note: Never pay in advance especially if you are still outside Australia.

http://www.pinoyau.info/categories/housing--rental

http://www.gumtree.com.au/
-anyone can post here so be careful.

http://www.realestate.com.au/share/share+accommodation-adelaide,+sa+5000

http://au.easyroommate.com/
-you can post your profile here as someone seeking accommodation.

http://studentrooms.com.au/
for students only 1 person per room

http://www.midwayapartments.com.au/apartments/index.html
- Own unit but too expensive $455 a week.

Ren

Things to consider on sharing accommodation:


1. Number of Tenants (single/couple) & existing occupants to share.
If you are by yourself, it’s easier to share house than you being a couple. So make sure you mentioned that you are moving with a partner.

Note: Most landlords will not accept families w/ kids in sharing accommodation.

2. Price/what’s not included in the rent.
Price varies a lot depending on location and size. A room in a 5-bedroom share-house will cost cheaper than a 2-bedroom unit. Units in the city are quite expensive (1 bedroom 250-280 per week). Suburb (like to where I live, down south 14kms away from the CBD) 2 bedroom (285 per week)

Always discuss if utilities are included, (like electricity, gas, internet and water) or shared payment.

3. Lease type and duration.
6 months? 1 year? Fixed term?
How about early termination before the contract, there are breaking lease fee.

4. Location/accessibility.
Accessible to public transport like bus, tram and train (google maps is your friend). Consider the place, although you are in SA, there are areas that are not that safe to walk around by yourself at night. (Eg. Some areas up north, Hanson rd, Hindley st. etc)

5. Bond money, advance Payment.
All bonds must be lodge with CBS within 48 hrs, the landlord will send you the form. With a sharing accommodation, regarding bond ask the landlord about the form you need to fill up for the bond claim later on at the end of tenancy. There is always confusion on this part, so I would like to quote sa.gov.au.


http://www.sa.gov.au/subject/Housing,+property+and+land/Renting+and+letting/Information+for+private+rental+landlords/Being+a+private+rental+landlord/Bond,+rent+and+other+charges

Bond
The bond acts as a security against the lease agreement. It can be claimed if there is any money owed by the tenant at the end of the lease agreement - eg cleaning costs, rent arrears.

If the weekly rent is:
• $250 or less you can ask for up to four weeks’ rent as a bond
• $251 or more you can ask for up to six weeks’ rent as a bond.

The landlord/agent must give the tenant a receipt within 48 hours of receiving a bond. All bonds must be lodged with Consumer and Business Services (CBS) to hold until the tenancy ends.

Rent in advance
Landlord are entitled to ask for up to two weeks’ rent in advance to be paid along with the bond. If this is paid the tenant won’t have to pay rent again until the end of the period they have paid for.

Apart from the bond and rent in advance the landlord/agent can not ask for any other money to be paid at the start of a tenancy.


Knowledge is power

rolf021

Thanks a lot for sharing! Also on gumtree, when you are browsing from the philippines When you use the email box and you are sending that email from Philippines..hindi ata narereceive dito sa Au. Tapos, di nagrereflect iyung phone number na nakalagay sa ad. So..siguro.you can place an ad in gumtree like: "Wanted: Looking for a room etc"...then place your email contact number. Hindi sigurado may cocontact pero it will increase your chance in finding a room/place to rent. Just don't pay in advace as advised by Ren.

Khaosan_Road

curious lang... dun ba sa mga bagong dating na walang kilala o matutuluyan, sa hostel ba muna tumutuloy? tapos dyan na naghahanap ng shared apartment? normally gano katagal bago makahanap ng matitirhan?

Ren

@Khaosan_Road
I know someone na ganun ginawa. Yes mas mabilis yun kasi you can view the shared accommodation and move in next day if you like. But take note, that rule is only applicable for One person/Single or couple. A family of 3 or more would mean more things to consider and a share-house is not ideal.

ringo

Hi Ren,

What would you advice if a family of 4 would do to get an accommodation and how fast?
2 kids with primary 1 and 3.

Khaosan_Road

@Ren single naman ako pero may barkada ako na kasama so hanap kami room na may twin bed para we can share para tipid

Ren

@ringo
Hmm a bit harder with kids. I suggest the primary applicant to enter AU first (at least a month ahead) to look for suitable accommodation, that involves physically looking for the place and how near to the child care/ school.

floradanica

Hello! Advisable ba ang mag stay muna sa hotel/motel or transient if ever wala pang nakukuhang bahay/room pagdating sa Au? Anong ayos na hotel?

Ren

Bump

Ren

@floradanica

Hello! Advisable ba ang mag stay muna sa hotel/motel or transient if ever wala pang nakukuhang bahay/room pagdating sa Au? Anong ayos na hotel?

Yup ganun din ginawa ko nagstay ako sa share house with 5 of us pinoys in a short stay transient share house.

ADL

sa gumtree ako nakahanap ng unit for my family. direct sa owner. walang agent in between. sa experience namin with agents sa realestate.com.au hindi ka man nila tatawagan or text.

makunouchi

thanks for the post @Ren, now I know what to take note of..

Ren

This may not be accurate but still a good estimate, regarding cost of living expenses in Adelaide vs Manila.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Australia&city1=Adelaide&country2=Philippines&city2=Manila

kiremedio

hi ms. ren,

as I was looking the thread, i have the same concern with khaosan road, i am planning to go to Adelaide by April 2014 actually with a friend, problem is wala kami pang place to stay while we are looking for a wrok pgdating namin sa SA. What do you think is the best advice you could give pra makahanap ng accomodation temporarily? kht sharing muna with other pinoys hanggat makahanap ng place to stay ?

Aly24

@ADL Hi po, ask ko lng po ung initial rent nyo ng unit with the owner, naghanap po ba sya ng proof na may work na? un din po kasi concern nmen e, new migrant po kmi this May, sympre po wla pa kmi work mag-asawa. will travel w/ our 2yo daughter po. Anu- ano po hininging requirements pg direct sa owner? un din po ang balak nmen, makahanap ng direct s owner po. san po kau nagstay pgdting jan hbng hanap pa po ng unit? or may nakagawa na po ba na khit wla pa Adelaide, may confirm na titirhan thru net lng po queries? salamat sa reply po.

vhoythoy

@ADL Hi po, ask ko lng po ung initial rent nyo ng unit with the owner, naghanap po ba sya ng proof na may work na? un din po kasi concern nmen e, new migrant po kmi this May, sympre po wla pa kmi work mag-asawa. will travel w/ our 2yo daughter po. Anu- ano po hininging requirements pg direct sa owner? un din po ang balak nmen, makahanap ng direct s owner po. san po kau nagstay pgdting jan hbng hanap pa po ng unit? or may nakagawa na po ba na khit wla pa Adelaide, may confirm na titirhan thru net lng po queries? salamat sa reply po.

Parehas tayo ng case, mahirap kapag may kasama bata as compared to couple lang or single. Unless madami baon pera cguro mas madali, pero yun din problema ko haha

talrasha

hello po sa inyo. sa mga naghahanap ng temporary accommodation like 1 to 2 weeks try nyo po search sa google caravan parks adelaide or south australia. medyo expensive nga lang sya price start from $120 per day depending sa laki ng unit. maganda lng sa unit e parang maliit na bahay complete with dining, living, kitchen, and bedroom.

IslanderndCity

Thanks pero sobrang expensive naman @talrasha

Ren

@kiremedio

Hi there,

First accommodation is always the hardest but there are lots of temporary accommodation. The only thing is depending on how much you want to spend, your scenario and are you comfortable sharing with people you don't know. You can also consider backpackers. Checkout this list from google maps.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/search/backpackers+adelaide/@-34.9286212,138.5999594,16z/data=!3m1!4b1

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Ren

Ren

*********Updated 09 Jan 2015

Initial temporary accommodation suggested websites here:

Note: Never pay in advance especially if you are still outside Australia.

1 Backpackers
-I know a few friends of mine who initially stayed here. Its cheap but you may have to share a room with strangers.

2 PinoyAU

3 http://www.gumtree.com.au/
-The good thing is the actual owner advertise here, so you can have a good chat with them directly. But be careful for scams anyone can post here.

4 http://au.easyroommate.com/
-you can post your profile here as someone seeking accommodation. This is where I found my previous pinay housemate.

5 http://studentrooms.com.au/
for students only 1 person per room

6 Midway Apartments
- Own unit but too expensive $455 a week.

angelwheng

Hi Pinoyau peeps,

Baka meron po kayong alam na room for rent or house share na pwede kaming 3 (hubby, me and 1 y/o baby girl). Nov pa kami nakapagpareserve thru homestay.com then just now bigla nag-cancel yung host Hindi na raw available yung room. She said sorry since naoverlooked nya raw ung booking ko. May relatives ata syang nasa house nila at nagdecide magstay for a longer period of time. Wala tuloy kaming sure na matutuluyan eh feb 22 na ang lapag namin.

Pa-help naman po.

Maraming salamat.

Ren

@angelwheng

Just checking, Where you able to secure an accommodation here in Adelaide?

angelwheng

@Ren Hi Ren, yes fortunately 3 days before our flight nagkaron din thru networks of pinoyau peepsna andito na sa adelaide..sorry late ang reply ko, medyo nagbabawi pa kami sa pagod the past days..plus dami pa aayusin like centerlink, medicare, etc..we're taking it 1 step at a time

thanks for asking po and for the concern..

Ren

@angelwheng

Ahh thats very good. Yes take it easy Tama yan one step at a time.

rareking

@Ren - halo po. Nakita ko yung mga link at parang uubra po yung midway apartments for temporary acommodation habang naghahanap ng matitirhan.. maayos din mga reviews sa trip advisor.. although meron nagsabing medyo maliit yung place sa pominoz site...

meron pa kayang same set-up sa midway apartments na competitor nila para meron mapagaralan na options.. baka kasi mas okay din... naghahanap din ako thru google pero baka po may alam kayo..

salamat po,

rareking wife and son arriving June 8.

goreo

Hi to all!
at last we are finally moving to Au and adelaide ang nag-welcome sa amin!
we'll be arriving this may 18 na and our worry is temporary accommodation like all the new migrants..
Ms. @Ren, baka lang po sakali na may kakilala kayo that would accommodate us (3 adults 1kid) temporarily for about a maximum of a month stay..we would greatly appreciate it..

PedroM

Well I just arrived to Sydney and there were a few websites that helped me ALOT to find an accommodation in Sydney. Here´s my favorites:

http://www.flatmate.com
http://www.findflatmates.com

I hope it helps. The rooms are cheap and the services free charge!

Ren

BUMP

glaiza1210

Anyone looking for an apartment unit to rent here in SA? There's a unit available starting 1st of March 2017, details are as follows;

-2 bedroom apartment/unit
-weekly rent is $300
-with security & private front & rear yard, alfresco, separate laundry, carport
-Suburb is Glandore, 5037
- 3 mins walk to tram stop or bus stop
- 15 mins drive to city or 25 mins by tram or bus
- 15 mins drive to Glenelg Beach or 20 mins by tram
- Close to Coles, Kmart, primary school, kindergarten
- unit is infront of the Glandore Community Centre/Park

please PM me here if interested. Thank you!