So much for spending some time reviewing suburbs... on the same day I turned down the Leichhardt place, I was reviewing a list of properties in Woollahra and saw a beautiful Art Deco apartment! It had an inspection that evening, but you quickly learn that there aren't any rules to play by here - you do everything in your power to secure your dream place! So, I emailed the agent, explained I was in Canberra, desperately wanted to view the apartment, but the earliest I could do would be Friday (I was working in the Sydney office that day) and asked what it would take to make sure he didn't go ahead and give it to someone else before I'd had chance to see it! Cheeky, I know, but if you don't ask, you don't get! It worked and he came straight back to me asking me to call in the morning (after the viewing) and he'd see what he could do!
So Thursday morning, I was straight on the phone, but couldn't get hold of him, so left a message. We spent the day playing telephone tag and it wasn't until Friday lunchtime that I finally got to talk this colleague, Sara. We managed to arrange a private viewing (his special do I feel!!) for 4.30pm. Luckily no-one minded me skipping off work earlier, so I left at 4pm and got to the property at 4.25pm... that's definitely very accessible to the city - I doubt that I would have made it to Annandale in that time! It was a beautiful art deco block of 12 apartments, backing onto a 'park' or in this case a beautiful area of bushland. It was unbelievable that you could be just 7 mins walk from Bondi Junction (massive transport hub with trains, every bus that goes to the Eastern suburbs and a massive Westfield shopping centre) and yet feel like you're in the middle of the countryside because all you can hear is birds! The actual apartment was beautiful - light and airy with all rooms (except the second bedroom) north facing, meaning lots of sun, or more likely dappled shade because of the bushland aspect. It had some beautiful art deco features, such as the glass doors to the second bedroom and shutters on the windows (inside, not outside like in France).
By the time I left, I was in no doubt this was the place I wanted, but I was seeing another place with the same agent in Glebe the following morning and also a townhouse very near to me in Annandale. It turned out the Glebe place really wasn't a goer and the townhouse, although nicely situated next to a parkland walkway down to the harbour, was dark, small and had a really old kitchen.
So, once again by Monday I'd put my application in and by Monday afternoon I'd got the place, agreed a moving in date and arranged to sign the lease on Friday late afternoon!! I'm certainly lucky that work are understanding of me needing to sort things out at the moment and leave work early!
I think during the week I went through the full gamut of emotions... what am I doing committing to rent such an expensive place for a year; what happens if I don't have a job or want to leave; this means I get my stuff shipped over, so there really is no going back, without incurring a huge amount of cost to do so. I eventually got over it all (thanks to a chat with my wonderful Mum...where would we be without them?!) and by the middle of the week was getting very excited. I took some advice from friends on what to look out for in tenancy agreements, but they all said they were very straightforward and just to make sure you make a note of absolutely every defect (chipping paintwork and all!) on the condition report. When I actually turned up to sign, I was quite impressed... the document was 11 pages long and really did take account of everything. If anything, I found it more comprehensive than any tenancy agreement I've signed in the UK. One thing to be wary of, people do not like having their properties on the market in winter as there are less people looking to rent and therefore they don't normally achieve as quick a rental or as good a price. So, when I turned up to sign my 12 month lease, it had turned into a 6 month one (because that means they'll renew with a 12 month one during the summer months!). I stood my ground and after a quick call to the owner, the lease was changed to 12 months. Don't be forced into accepting something you don't like just because the agent makes you feel like they've got hundreds of people just waiting to replace you if you don't.
In the end, finding my ideal property seemed fairly painless, but I think I've certainly learned a few lessons which will stand me in good stead should I be house hunting again in the future.
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