Rent prices in Galway...

JohnCleary

Reports state that property prices have dropped between 16 - 20% in Galway in the past year, yet I notice that rent prices for 2 bedroom apartments in City Centre/Salthill/Newcastle still remain the same as last year.

Can anyone answer for me, from experience, if rent prices for apartments in Galway are negotiable? Currently looking at 2 bed apartments with balcony and parking which are asking 800 - 1000 per month... want to know how much I can haggle here without making a tit of myself

Sound Bite

IMO, the average price for a 2 bed apt within walking distance of Galway City Centre is about 800-850. The better/newer apts seem to priced at about 900-950 but landlords appear to be willing to reduce if you ask. Very few any more expensive than that.

Use daft.ie to compare prices/options in the area you're interested in.

Arnold Layne

I don't know about apartments, but I'm looking at weekly/monthly rental for a 4 bed roomed house in Gleann Dara. Does anyone know the going rate? Daft does not have any properties listed for rent in the area.

JohnCleary

Sound - I've been keeping a keen eye on the ASKING rental alright. I'd love to hear from someone who's recently started renting, and to see how much they were able to negotiate the final monthly rental price from the asking rental price.

Asking prices for rentals are simply not coming down. So there's either massive room for haggling, or landlords are having the last laugh

Madame Razz

With mortgage rates set to increase relatively substantially over the next year I can't see that there will much of a decrease in the price of rental property, or a lot of room for haggling either. That said, it's always worth viewing a property, making a good impression on the owner and then chancing your arm to see how much you can get the rent down; a lot of landlords would be prepared to negotiate price if it meant good, hassle free tenants, and I think privately let places(as opposed to those let thru an agency) would be more open to negotiation on price anyway as they probably have more 'room' to decrease as they are not factoring in an agents fee.

JohnCleary

Madama - good point.

re. owners vs. agents.... ain't life a bitch, almost everywhere i've been looking at is through agents. Only one place, through a bit of investigation, have I been able to track down the owner (awaiting a reply)

Das Kitty

Sound Bite wrote: »

IMO, the average price for a 2 bed apt within walking distance of Galway City Centre is about 800-850. The better/newer apts seem to priced at about 900-950 but landlords appear to be willing to reduce if you ask. Very few any more expensive than that.

Use daft.ie to compare prices/options in the area you're interested in.

Seriously?!

We rented a new 2 bed in town 4 years ago for 800pm. Has it not gone down at all?

ErnieBert

JohnCleary wrote: »

Reports state that property prices have dropped between 16 - 20% in Galway in the past year, yet I notice that rent prices for 2 bedroom apartments in City Centre/Salthill/Newcastle still remain the same as last year.

Can anyone answer for me, from experience, if rent prices for apartments in Galway are negotiable? Currently looking at 2 bed apartments with balcony and parking which are asking 800 - 1000 per month... want to know how much I can haggle here without making a tit of myself

I was discussing this matter with mates over Christmas. Two couples are renting a classy big 2 bedroom apartment on Fr Griffin Road (Tara Court) for 950 including multiple parking, rubbish, alarm, three bathrooms etc etc.

My brother's girlfriend is renting (with others) a dated 2 double bedroomed apartment near the dole office for 800 but without parking, only has one bathroom and they have to but City Bin rubbish bags.

Sound Bite

During the last 2 years, I've moved twice. Currently paying 780 per month for a 2 bed apt fairly close to city centre-one parking space.

First house, asking price was 900 managed to get same down to 800. Made an offer via the letting agent & told them that it stood for 24 hours as we were looking at two other properties in the area. Offer accepted about 2 hours later.

Second house, really wanted to get it and was willing to pay the 850 asking price if absolutley had too. Arrived to meet the prospective landlord with references from previous landlords, work references confirming I was in a permanent job & stating when I was paid monthly. (had the boss sign it). Could tell that landlord was happy we would be good tenants, emphasises that we would set up the standing order on pay day and that there was no risk of rent being late etc, so after asking for him to reduce to 750 initially, we settled on 780.

I've noticed that if you arrive with references & emphasise the full time permanent job, the landlords seem very happy to negotiate, especially if there's a mix of workers and students in the estate. Much happier not to have students & willing to reduce rent in order to get professionals.

If you know anyone already in the estate check what they are paying & also if you have to knock on doors in the estate to seek what others are paying & use this to negotiate if its lower.

Hope this helps

Edit: - Not sure what your circumstances are but just sharing my experience in case it's of use.

JohnCleary

Ernie & Sound - Thanks a lot for your posts, really helpful.

Place we're looking at are quite 'up market' (imho), not estates and doubt there'd be any students in the building.

Going to view a few places during the week. I don't care if I make a Jackass of myself; i'm going to go in low, but state that i'm willing to do a 12 month lease (many of them state 6 month min) and willing to pay direct debit/standing order each month so no (well, less) risk of not being paid rent.

JohnCleary

ErnieBert wrote: »

I was discussing this matter with mates over Christmas. Two couples are renting a classy big 2 bedroom apartment on Fr Griffin Road (Tara Court) for 950 including multiple parking, rubbish, alarm, three bathrooms etc etc.

My brother's girlfriend is renting (with others) a dated 2 double bedroomed apartment near the dole office for 800 but without parking, only has one bathroom and they have to but City Bin rubbish bags.

I know the previous tenants in there - they were paying 1200 :eek:

brianthebard

Das Kitty wrote: »

Seriously?!

We rented a new 2 bed in town 4 years ago for 800pm. Has it not gone down at all?

Rents are supposed to be going down as the op mentioned, but I find that the asking price has not been going down.

Fionn MacCool

Is this really going to affect students? There'll always be more demand than supply for student housing (this is ensured by the 'no students' policy so many landlords enforce). Landlords around the college area are still going to be able to charge what they want because there'll always be takers, right?

StonedRaider

3room double storey.2bath

Been here the last 6yrs. €850when we first arrived.
At the start of the big R,we had a chat and rent was reduced to €800.
A year ago,I said we didn't need a 3bed and I've found a 2bed in Moycullen for €550. Landlord told us to stay on and matched the price of €550.
Rent includes refuse&tv licence.I've enough parking for 6cars easily. Safe and quiet spot at the edge of bushypark-drum. 45min walk to eyre square.
Only reason landlord dropped rent was because they have 2 other properties in the area that have been empty for over a year...and they are really nice people..and I've looked after this house as if it was my own.

gaillimheach

Arnold Layne wrote: »

I don't know about apartments, but I'm looking at weekly/monthly rental for a 4 bed roomed house in Gleann Dara. Does anyone know the going rate? Daft does not have any properties listed for rent in the area.

This 4-bedroomed house is asking 900 per month:

http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=992205

JohnCleary

Wow, there really are major differences between town/city limits.

I'd love a house out the road a bit, but at the moment it would just be totally impractical. I need to be in town, or very close to. There's only the 2 of us, so an apartment makes sense, with the spare bedroom for when people are over

JohnCleary

I must add that in fairness, i'm being quite fussy. Must be modern all-round with a decent sized balcony with parking. So far 2 places have ticked all the boxes, hoping to get a viewing on Tuesday. I'm going to be blunt with the agency (I hate that word)... if I can view both, i'm going to make an offer which will be about 20% below the asking price with 24 hours to get back to me - they either say yay or nay, nay.

I'll find something eventually!

swe_fi

Sound Bite wrote: »

First house, asking price was 900 managed to get same down to 800. Made an offer via the letting agent & told them that it stood for 24 hours as we were looking at two other properties in the area. Offer accepted about 2 hours later.

What I learned today, nice one.

Arnold Layne

gaillimheach wrote: »

This 4-bedroomed house is asking 900 per month:

http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=992205

Thanks, but 900 euro seems a bit steep.

snubbleste

Agree.
Gleann Dara 4 beds should be about €650pm

Mr Keek

We got a 2 bed town house with everything like Parking, Bins etc included from €700 down to €600.

We just told the landlord that we weren't paying asking rent and what would he think if we offered €600 PM for a one year lease.

The one year lease sealed the deal from him. I reckon if you are staying short term 6 months etc, you won't be able to haggle much but one year is a stable enough income for any landlord.

dollybird2

Previously rented a nice 2bed apartment in Forster Court, the townhouses, with balcony, parking etc and paid 900 pcm which included parking & bins. Had to move when winter set in as the place was like an icebox and couldn't be heated. Anyway, the original asking price for rent was 1100 pcm.

McTigs

It comes down to supply and demand, and for the forseeable future it's renters market.

People are by and large willing to pay the current rates provided it's a quality product and an attentive landlord, but gone are the days paying over the odds for substandard accomodation to a landlord that can't be found when a problem arises.

Renters couldn't give a monkeys about a landlords mortgage so i doubt an inevitable rise in interest rates will have any bearing. I'd imagine it's squeaky bum time for a lot of landlords who are new to the game in the last few years. I'm not pointing an laughing by any means but a drop in rents and occupancy and a rise in mortgage repayments and property related taxes over the next few years are gonna hurt badly.

My landlords been around for donkeys, i doubt he has any mortgage on the place i'm renting, €750 for a two bedroom in lower salthill. Grand place it is too, toasty warm.

Webbs

McTigs wrote: »

It comes down to supply and demand, and for the forseeable future it's renters market.

People are by and large willing to pay the current rates provided it's a quality product and an attentive landlord, but gone are the days paying over the odds for substandard accomodation to a landlord that can't be found when a problem arises.

Renters couldn't give a monkeys about a landlords mortgage so i doubt an inevitable rise in interest rates will have any bearing. I'd imagine it's squeaky bum time for a lot of landlords who are new to the game in the last few years. I'm not pointing an laughing by any means but a drop in rents and occupancy and a rise in mortgage repayments and property related taxes over the next few years are gonna hurt badly.

My landlords been around for donkeys, i doubt he has any mortgage on the place i'm renting, €750 for a two bedroom in lower salthill. Grand place it is too, toasty warm.

If its anything like the UK, when council tax came in over there, the renters got hit as well so may well be the same here with a property tax.

gaeilgegrinds1

We always give to the most settled renters we can get, it's only a granny flat we have at the moment but rather than get 7/8 months with students we got a years' lease from a really lovely young couple and gave them 20% off. So far no calls, rent paid in by d/d on time. Happy days. Year-long lease is easier for both!

EuskalHerria

Living in a 2 bedroom apartment in an estate just off Bohermore. Its €700 a month between two of us. Tbh I think its just a bit much. We get bins and a parking space included which isn't bad but still for it just seems, as nice as the apartment is, that the rent is a bit too much.

gaeilgegrinds1

Granny flat off Newcastle Rd. and we are only charging them 500! Includes bins and they get the ntl off us.No need for a car as they literally cross the road to work. I wouldn't pay over the odds, give the landlord a good deal, aka less work and I'd see them going for it!

Discodog

Gosh it's so different in the wilds !. Some friends of mine were renting a house in Spiddal - good tenants & had been there 3 years. Because of the recession they asked the Landlord about reducing the rent & he said no.

The found a house down the road that is much bigger, much nicer furniture/fittings for 250 per month less !. The landlord even offered to re decorate & let them chose the colours. The funniest bit was that when then opened the dishwasher my friend accidentally coughed. The Landlord immediately said that it was a few years old & that they would put in a new one. Their old house is has been empty & un-rented for a year.

The key is to try & find a landlord who really needs to rent now rather than one who can hold out for the best price.

Webbs

EuskalHerria wrote: »

Living in a 2 bedroom apartment in an estate just off Bohermore. Its €700 a month between two of us. Tbh I think its just a bit much. We get bins and a parking space included which isn't bad but still for it just seems, as nice as the apartment is, that the rent is a bit too much.

Purely being nosey what do you think is the right amount for rent per month or week?

liu83

Webbs wrote: »

Purely being nosey what do you think is the right amount for rent per month or week?

I'd say 600 should be plenty

EuskalHerria

Webbs wrote: »

Purely being nosey what do you think is the right amount for rent per month or week?

Well I thought it was a good price until I heard from friends who were similarly as close to town, the same amenities and paying at lot less. So I think just over 600 would be more reasonable but there's no negotiating on the price apparently. Although we took the place in the summer so we're getting it cheaper than neighbours who got it when the students were coming back to Galway.