Woman vs. Real Estate

Good News! Sarah and I have found our flat! We can't move in yet, but we've got it and it is such a relief to not have to face the beast that is Wellington Real Estate. For posterity, and humour, I've decided to give some survival tips for those of you who may find yourselves fighting for a flat in Welly.

1. Run, don't walk to the nearest dairy on Wednesday morning when new classifieds come out in the newspaper.
2. Armed with pen and coffee, circle the flats that fall in your price range and area. Be sure to check out Trademe, a New Zealand website similar to craigslist.
3. Do not be deceived. Flats are priced per week, not per month. You thought a rent of $350 NZD sounded reasonable? think again. that's 350 PER WEEK!
4. Text, don't call real estate agents. Phone calls are expensive, so text the mobile listed to see when the next viewings are.
5. Mapquest or google maps are only semi-reliable in a city where streets change names unexpectedly. Leave at least 15-20 min for getting lost/finding a carpark.
6. Show up to the viewing dressed to impress. Most real estate agents want to rent to professionals, and when ten other people show up for the viewing, you want to stand out in a good way.
7. While your cohort is filling out the paperwork, talk to the real estate agent about his or her dislikes, what you like about the city, ask them questions, etc. Again, you want to leave a good impression.
8. Wait for them to call you. Don't call or text or email them until at least the next evening. Chances are, if they haven't called you the next day, you weren't the chosen one.
9. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. New Classifieds also come out on Saturdays.
10. Don't settle. A moldy flat is not a happy flat. Don't just take it because you don't think you can get anything else.

I hope you found this helpful, or at least had an insight of the adventures that Sarah and I faced while looking for a flat. On a serious note, our biggest piece of advice is to pray, pray, pray! Trust in God's provision, asking Him to tune your ears to His voice, and never giving up hope, but instead rejoicing in the opportunity that this gives you to tangibly trust Him.