ABOUT RENTING

Choosing a rental property

Your rental could be your home for a number of years, so it's worth taking time to ensure you get one that suits you. Here's a checklist of things to consider:

Price: How much can you afford to pay in rent? Is this realistic for what you hope to get?

Suburb: Do you have a specific suburb where you want to live? (For schools or to be close to work, or for any other reason.)

Are there any suburbs where you definitely don't want to live?

It's good to have a list of suburbs drawn up before you start looking.

Number of rooms: Sometimes it's a matter of striking a balance between the number of rooms you'd really like, and the rent that you want to pay.

Children: Kids need safe spaces to play. Consider whether you want a fenced section or one that's away from busy roads.

Some people want their kids to go to specific schools. In that case, you'll need a home in that school's zone.

Transport: Do you or your family use public transport frequently? You'll want to be close to a good bus or train route then.

Garaging: How many cars do you have? Do you want them to be under cover? Under locked cover (like a garage)? If you have two or more cars, consider whether tandem parking (where one car parks behind the other in a driveway) will drive you crazy or not.