Thursday 25 June 2015

Moving out for the first time

So you start university in a few months. But mum and dad’s house is a 6 hour drive to uni. Now what? There’s only one realistic choice here... and that’s to move closer to school!

First things first – Can you afford to move out? 
The Government’s Money Smart website is a good starting point to work out whether or not you can afford to move out; if not, what your options are. 

Once you’ve worked out your budget, then you need to explore where to live and its proximity to school. Currently, Rent Central has three properties that are within walking distance to some form of higher education institute. Rent Central Waters Edge and Rent Central Canvas are based within a few kilometres to the South Bank Tafe. Rent Central Urban Edge is within a stone’s throw to Queensland University of Technology at Kelvin Grove. For other helpful tips on home hunting, check out our other blog here.

Now it’s time to move out... have you got a checklist? 

If not, then one of Rent Central’s preferred partners, Direct Connect, can help. View their moving out checklist here. Or better still, they offer a free, no-obligation service offering a range of options to help you move homes. After all, you have study and socialisation to focus on – not your electricity provider, or your contents insurance.  

The Money Smart website recommends these tips on how to move out.
  • Try to save 10% of your pay for emergencies like not being able to work for a week, unexpected bills or extra travel costs. You never know when you the extra 10% of cash you stash may come in handy! 
  • Before moving out, put aside some cash to buy groceries and stock up your food.
  • In shared households, try not to have your name on all the bills. If the bill is addressed only to you, even if you are sharing the costs, you are legally responsible.
Visit www.rentcentralbrisbane.com.au to start searching.

Wednesday 24 June 2015

Dear Property Management, This is your life. Yours truly, Stock Photos

I read an article from realestate.com.au the other day about what the industry looks like, according to stock photos. They depicted “real estate”, so I thought I’d do “property management”. 
If you came down in the last shower (which, if you live in Brisbane, was just the other day), and someone asked you what “property management” was... well, you’d search Google to know what they were talking about, right?
This is what you’d learn....
Houses are made out of American money, and they are small enough to fit in the palm of your hands. 
I could seriously list another 43,765 shots of houses in hands – but I’m sure you’re picking up what I’m putting down here (pardon the pun). 
You would also learn that houses live inside fish bowls. And they are, in fact, very petite. Perception at its best.

Yes, that’s right, your house is light enough for two people to pick up and carry away.  

You’d be thinking by now, you were pretty educated on what property management actually means. It means really small houses made out of money, light enough for two people to pick up and carry away. It also means red houses with about 8mm distance between you and your neighbour. 
Oh, and these professional looking people – who I’m assuming are the people who are selling the houses – are all surprisingly attractive. Like, ALL of them.  


And finally, once you’ve moved into your new really small, paper money house, you will start to unpack your belongings. It just so happens that every box you use is perfectly shaped without any removal blemishes (must’ve had a good removalist). And then, after a long day unpacking, you and your friend will draw smiley faces on the boxes and wear them on your heads. Because that’s just what you’d do, right?


I think the best photo of them all, and that really depicts “property management” at Rent Central... Is this:

That is, a professional looking manager who serves your gleaming investment (home) on a platter. Ah huh – you like that?!  Corny I know, but I couldn’t resist... after all, that’s what came up in the search.
So, what does property management look like to you? We’d love to see what your “property management” is.