Fun Tales of Househunting

Croppy Bhoy

So just recently we found a suitable house in Galway. We contacted the landlord asking it the property was still available, they gave some smart-arse reply along the lines of "of course it is, only put the ad up a few hours ago". I say fantastic, definitely interested when can we view it?

She arranges a viewing on the Friday, one of the lads turns up only for her to tell him she's given it to some other people. People who rang after us but got a viewing before.


Back on the hunt for a place, we find another suitable property. I contact the landlord asking if it's available and she says yes. I say brilliant, when is the soonest we can arrange a viewing. I ask her are we the first people in line because we've already been screwed once this week, she says yes ye are the first.

Go to viewing, tell her we'll take it and she says that someone else rang her before us (but had a viewing after...) and she is going to let them have first choice.

Summary:
Attempt #1: Ring landord, arrange viewing. Landlord gives house to people who rang after us but arranged viewing before us.
Attempt #2: Ring landlord, arrange viewing. Landlord gives house to people who rang before us but arranged viewing after us.

Kosseegan

You are obviously ringing at the wrong time, or else have a bad telephone manner.

Euskadi1888

Kosseegan wrote: »

You are obviously ringing at the wrong time, or else have a bad telephone manner.

The ads specify when you can ring. I think you need to re-read my post anyway as you don't appear to have understood it.

Mister Dread

Houses will go to whoever views and offeres first by and large.

Little tip: Never open with "is it still available". It puts you in a poor bargaining position. If it's not available then they will soon tell you.

not even wrong

one of the lads

Here's your problem. Landlords don't want to rent to a group of young fellas because they're afraid the place will get trashed.

Croppy Bhoy

Mister Dread wrote: »

Houses will go to whoever views and offeres first by and large..

Obviously not....

not even wrong wrote: »

Here's your problem. Landlords don't want to rent to a group of young fellas because they're afraid the place will get trashed.

Not much I can do about my gender is there? I know some landlords are idiots like that, which is why I made it clear early on with both that we were guys. We're 22 years old like... hope she gets a bunch of wee cows who destroy the bathroom with fake tan, fall out with each other after a week and move back home crying because they miss mammy and daddy. Of course that's just an unfair stereotype of girls though

johndaman66

Mister Dread wrote: »

Little tip: Never open with "is it still available". It puts you in a poor bargaining position. If it's not available then they will soon tell you.

Although I do agree with your sentiment, I have being in situations where I rang people about cars or various other items they had advertised for sale. They would go on to answer the few questions I'd ask on the item only to inform me after it was sold...there are some very very dense yobo's out there.

Croppy Bhoy

How does asking if it's available put you in a poor position? For what other possible reason would you be phoning them anyway?


Also, just rang another guy and he wouldn't tell me what the rent was. Told me some crap about waiting til he'd shown us the house and stuff. Also said that he would have to journey in to show us the place. Seems incredibly stupid - take hours out to show us the house, only for us to possibly say no as soon as we find out the price.

odds_on

Kosseegan wrote: »

You are obviously ringing at the wrong time, or else have a bad telephone manner.

If a landlord doesn't like your telephone manner (how you speak, how you ask questions, the questions you ask, how you sound (to the landlord's ears), etc.) and someone else phones with a manner that the landlord prefers then that person is more likely to get the property.

Don't forget, this can still be part and parcel of a landlord's vetting process.

Croppy Bhoy

odds_on wrote: »

If a landlord doesn't like your telephone manner (how you speak, how you ask questions, the questions you ask, how you sound (to the landlord's ears), etc.) and someone else phones with a manner that the landlord prefers then that person is more likely to get the property.

Don't forget, this can still be part and parcel of a landlord's vetting process.

Everything was done via text, and I don't mean "watsup u got ne houses 4 rnt tbx"

johndaman66

Croppy Bhoy wrote: »

How does asking if it's available put you in a poor position? For what other possible reason would you be phoning them anyway?

I think its a psychological thing at play. I do see how asking such a question would give the seller an upper hand to a certain extent. It sort of gives the impression that the item or service is being pretty sought after by the the buyer...having said all that it is quite subtle.

Croppy Bhoy

johndaman66 wrote: »

It sort of gives the impression that the item or service is being pretty sought after by the the buyer

Wouldn't the fact you are phoning them up wanting to rent their property, give the impression that you are wanting to rent their property?

Ben Moore

I've rented more places than I've... well a lot.

Landlords/ladys (as mentioned above) want to meet the people before they let them live in their darling second properties which may be their only source of income at the moment.

If they don't like you from your telephone manner they will say it's gone.

When you lost it by text, well i think you were just unfortunate there.

Remember you are selling yourself.

So be polite, and courteous, and clever. (yes asking is it still available may put you on the back foot, as landlord/lady will think they've been rejected already and wonder why?). Always tell them it's the first place you have looked at.

When you meet them dress neatly and even a little conservatively.

Shave (if it's not against your religion)

And maybe tell them you are an accounting or law student.

Please don't take offence here, just take tips from someone who has been there and made the mistakes.

Croppy Bhoy

I was wondering if I should just lie and say I'm a mature student. I don't really have any qualms with lying as I haven't had the pleasure of dealing with a single honest one yet anyway. I'm 23 in January and going into second-year, so I'm not really far off being a mature student anyway. Would they ever ask for any proof?

Ben Moore

You have to be clever here, don't lie your way into a corner, be creative with the truth, you have to gain their trust as well.

Maybe bring a girl along as well say she's there for a second opinion, it makes you look more balanced.

ShadowHearth

Funny story:

We were living in apartment for 4 years. Apartment was ****, but our landlord was saint. He was the reason we stayed so long with him. We really wanted a house so we started to look for one. There was a great house, which was perfect for us, less then a mile up the road.
I called EA and asked about property. All was good, arranged to meet up in 1h to have a look at the property. I came 15min early, I am polite... Waited 2 hours at the meeting spot, game 12 calls to EA office with no answer... So I just went to see house myself from outside. It was empty.
I knew where was EA office so I just stormed in to the fecking place and I asked:
wtf?! Why no one meet me?!
Oh sorry, property still has people living in there!
Do you have lunch breaks in here?
No...
So why the feck you did not answered my calls?! I waited for 2 hours!
Oh! Must be something wrong with our lines! We got to check it!
Okay, just feck off then so...

On my way home Met my landlord. I invited him home and asked him if he knows anything about that property. He looked at picture and said: oh, I know lady who owns that house, give 1h I will sort it out.
1h later I get that house for 50eu cheaper per month and making his relative our new landlord. I was delighted. That ****y ea dd not got a penny from this deal, amd he lost a great property to rent.
After 1 month my friend went to same EA to ask about house near by. They refused to drop a price, but my friend said: I know a fella who got a house there for way less. The EA came up very very cross: it's an exeption!


Moral of the story: dont be a dick to foreigner and don't judge anyone by not even meeting them.

My old landlord got a bottle of hennesy. Current owner of house is very happy with us living there for last 2 years.

mary_hayes

OP, i feel your pain, this has happened me more than once! Or the person doesn't answer their phone EVER, or answer your emails, or doesn't actually show up at a designated time, or is a general grump/smart arse down the phone, or the place doesn't look anything like the pictures etc etc etc :rolleyes:

johndaman66

Croppy Bhoy wrote: »

Wouldn't the fact you are phoning them up wanting to rent their property, give the impression that you are wanting to rent their property?

Yes of course it does but I do feel that it does put the buyer in a slightly poorer bargaining position in a subtle sort of way. A more extreme example might be a couple viewing a house for sale and the woman prancing around from room to room getting all excited saying how magnolia paint and wine curtains would look fantastic in this room and lime paint and cream curtains in the next etc etc.

Theres no doubt you want to rent the room, otherwise you wouldn't be ringing but you just dont want to appear overly eager either in order to give yourself some bargaining clout...thats the point I'm trying to make...

dearg lady

johndaman66 wrote: »

Yes of course it does but I do feel that it does put the buyer in a slightly poorer bargaining position in a subtle sort of way. A more extreme example might be a couple viewing a house for sale and the woman prancing around from room to room getting all excited saying how magnolia paint and wine curtains would look fantastic in this room and lime paint and cream curtains in the next etc etc.

Theres no doubt you want to rent the room, otherwise you wouldn't be ringing but you just dont want to appear overly eager either in order to give yourself some bargaining clout...thats the point I'm trying to make...

well surely the equivalent would be 'prancing' around the rental property getting excited. I can't see how asking 'is the property available?' makes any difference.

OP, maybe call instead of texting, some people can be funny about texts for doing business

johndaman66

dearg lady wrote: »

well surely the equivalent would be 'prancing' around the rental property getting excited. I can't see how asking 'is the property available?' makes any difference.

Yes it would be alike as would asking is the property still available, from the point of view of the potential buyer or renter loosing a wee bit of their bargaining clout...in my opinion anyway.

Really and trurly I don't know why such a big deal is being made of the remark. The person who intially commented on it mentioned to never open with the line "Is it still available" if I recall correctly. I would agree but not so strongly. I would more recommend to avoid using the statement if possible, open up with a different line. Of course the potential renter is interested in the property, it goes without saying if they are going to the trouble to make the phone call but I do feel that opening comment will often put the Landlord at a subtle advantage, to the extent that it may even dictate how the converation progresses from there on in.

Frankly other than that I feel we are perhaps over analysing the whole thing really to be honest....

Croppy Bhoy

johndaman66 wrote: »

Yes of course it does but I do feel that it does put the buyer in a slightly poorer bargaining position in a subtle sort of way. A more extreme example might be a couple viewing a house for sale and the woman prancing around from room to room getting all excited saying how magnolia paint and wine curtains would look fantastic in this room and lime paint and cream curtains in the next etc etc.

Theres no doubt you want to rent the room, otherwise you wouldn't be ringing but you just dont want to appear overly eager either in order to give yourself some bargaining clout...thats the point I'm trying to make...

You're the one playing the sales-psychologist here. What would be a better way of initiating the negotiations? "Saw your house on Daft, looks sh*t but I'll take it off you anyway, moving in Monday cheers"?

johndaman66

Croppy Bhoy wrote: »

You're the one playing the sales-psychologist here. What would be a better way of initiating the negotiations? "Saw your house on Daft, looks sh*t but I'll take it off you anyway, moving in Monday cheers"?

Well if you want to say that who am I to stop you but dont say I told you to either... no need or call for rudeness and all that. In fairness just because I suggested I consider it poor practice to use the line "Is is still available" hardly suggests I'm implying you ring up the advertiser and f**k them out of it, does it?

You could open the conversation with a line such as I'm ringing in relation to the appartment you have advertised for rent on X street. Is it possible I could arrange a viewing with you for sometime on Monday evening?...or something along them lines. Of course who am I to stop you from saying "Is it still available" if you so wish but I personally would avoid this expression in such a situation. And you are right there is a certain amount of pyschology involved whether you wish to accept it or not. Other than that I genuinely don't know what else to say to you on the matter my friend

Mister Dread

Somebody ringing up and asking "is it still available" to a house that has been put up 4 hours on daft suggests a number of things.

1. The landlord will think it's a sellers market as the buyer (or renter) seems to have exerpiences of property going very quickly.
2. The buyer has lost out on property before and is slightly desperate. Why are they desperate? Why couldn't they get properties before?

It gives you no negotiation room. Subtle or not these things have an effect.

Azureus

I never ask straight off 'is XYZ still available?' I just usually asume that if its still up as advertised, that it is still available. Led to many pointless phone calls though as I ring about a house and they say 'oh that went last week' or whatever-lazy landlords/estate agents! If its gone, take it down off daft or wherever you have it up-it takes two seconds and will stop you wasting my time/me wasting yours #pethate.

Random story I have from house hunting is when I was looking for an apartment last year. It was advertised as a top floor two bed penthouse aprtment in the complex that we were looking for, but considering the price was quite low I was a little suspicious about the description, but said no harm having a look anyway. Called the estate agent who said he would text me with a time to meet later on. At about 4.30 that day he texts saying 'Will meet you at the property at around 6pm'.
I got a little held up with traffic so called him at 5.55 to say Id be there at around ten past six to which he replied a bit pissed off 'ok, but you better take this place now!' -even though he said ''around 6'' which to me would give a little bit of leeway.

Arrived up at about 6.07 and he literally THREW the keys at me and said 'go up there n have a look, Ive to move me car'. Went up-place was an absolute dive-even had bunk beds despite being listed as a double room and unfinished flooring. Went back downstairs and the estate agent starts giving out to me saying his car got clamped and its my fault because I was ten minutes late!! He had the cheek to ask me for half of the fee considering it was ''my fault''! Nutjob he was...wasnt too impressed when I called after him 'no chance of a lift then??' :P

So glad Im not househunting anymore

johndaman66

^^^ Bad and all as Estate Agents (and believe me I know from experience that there are many dishonest and sad excuses of estate agents out there, and am sure others will concur with that) I think you encountered an exceptionally bad one Azureus. I'm not a violent person but I think if I was in that situation there would be at least one of us leaving the scene in an ambulance!

Croppy Bhoy

johndaman66 wrote: »

Well if you want to say that who am I to stop you but dont say I told you to either... no need or call for rudeness and all that. In fairness just because I suggested I consider it poor practice to use the line "Is is still available" hardly suggests I'm implying you ring up the advertiser and f**k them out of it, does it?

You could open the conversation with a line such as I'm ringing in relation to the appartment you have advertised for rent on X street. Is it possible I could arrange a viewing with you for sometime on Monday evening?...or something along them lines. Of course who am I to stop you from saying "Is it still available" if you so wish but I personally would avoid this expression in such a situation. And you are right there is a certain amount of pyschology involved whether you wish to accept it or not. Other than that I genuinely don't know what else to say to you on the matter my friend

I think you misunderstand the situation. I was not looking to negotiate or bargain with anyone. I don't see how I can be put in a "bad bargaining position", I have a budget and if the landlord thinks they can rip me off because I asked if the place is available, I'll just tell them no.

johndaman66

Croppy Bhoy wrote: »

I think you misunderstand the situation. I was not looking to negotiate or bargain with anyone. I don't see how I can be put in a "bad bargaining position", I have a budget and if the landlord thinks they can rip me off because I asked if the place is available, I'll just tell them no.

Fair enough, the assumption with me was that you might have being inclined to try and knock yourself a few quid off the advertised price as most people would do as such these times, or at least receive something extra out of the deal! Best wishes in your house hunting and hoping you find yourself a nice place;)

MistyCheese

Two thoughts spring uncontrollably to mind.

Firstly:

johndaman66 wrote: »

magnolia paint and wine curtains would look fantastic in this room and lime paint and cream curtains in the next etc etc.

I hope you don't work in Interior Design, John Da Man!!

Also, I'd probably hate to be selling something that you wished to buy. I imagine the conversation following a pattern such as this:

Ring, Ring - That'd be the phone, of course.
Misty Cheese: Hello, this is Misty Cheese
John Da Ma: Yes, hello, this is John Da Man. I noticed from your ad that you are selling X.
MC: That's right. I am selling X and the price is €X.
JDM: Yes, I see that from your ad.
MC: So, are you interested in purchasing X?
JDM: I might, I might. I dunno, I'm looking at a lot of X's right now so I'm not entirely sure.
MC: Eh, okay.
JDM: I tell you what I'll do. I'll ring back next week if I'm still interested. I have a lot of X's to see and I might get a better deal off someone else so I might ring you later.
MC: Yep, that's fine. I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me now, I have to go iron my goldfish. Goodbye.
JDM: Well, I don't know now if I'd call it a goodbye. I'd say an average bye at best, really.
(dial tone)

johndaman66

MistyCheese wrote: »

I hope you don't work in Interior Design, John Da Man!!

You busted me nicely there! Believe me the women in my life more than make up for my lack of interest when it comes to talk of matching curtains, cushions and paintwork

MistyCheese wrote: »

Also, I'd probably hate to be selling something that you wished to buy. I imagine the conversation following a pattern such as this:

One cannot second guess the course of a telephone conversation as it will depend on what either one and both parties say. For this reason I feel you are taking liberties and putting words in my mouth. From my point of view the dialogue might take a broadly very similar path as you describe up to a certain point but then it would differ....

Ring, Ring - That'd be the phone, of course.
Misty Cheese: Hello, this is Misty Cheese
John Da Ma: Yes, hello, this is John Da Man. I noticed from your ad that you are selling X.
MC: That's right. I am selling X and the price is €X.
JDM: Yes, I see that from your ad.
MC: So, are you interested in purchasing X?
JDM: I may well be but obviously I will need to view the house first. As I'm sure you will appreciate I will need to view the property first before I commit myself any further.
MC: Eh, okay.
JDM: Is it possible I can arrange a viewing for anytime Saturday Misty Cheese? Weekdays are very difficult for me with my work.
MC: Yep, that would be fine. How would 11:00 Saturday morning suit you? (bearing in mind that if you are serious about selling the property you will do whatever it takes to accommodate me. There are plenty of properties not even getting viewing these times)
JDM: Thats spot on and would suit me perfectly, we'll say 11:00 Saturday morning so misty Cheese?
MC: Shall I give you directions or do you know where the house is situated?
JDM: Thats quite alright thanks, I know how to get to the house (obviously I'd ask for directions if need be)
MC: Perfect I look forward to seing you Saturday morning so but if anything comes up in the meantime you have my mobile number.
JDM: Likewise you should now have my number in your phone if something crops up from your point of view such that you need to cancel.
MC: I sure do but 11:00 Saturday morning should be grand from my point of view.
JDM: OK Misty Cheese thanks for taking the call and I shall see you at 11, Saturday morning

Like yourself I'm just broadly guessing what your responses may be. There is no doubt in my mind they may well be different. It is a conversation pattern I am suggesting as an alternative to your own.

Believe me, I wouldn't be making any offers over the phone without viewing the property and even after viewing the property I would need to go away and digest what I saw before making any offers, and then subject to survey, seing BER cert, second viewing etc.

I wouldn't be ringing Estate Agents to waste their time or my own time...believe me I have more than enough to be doing with my time! Having said that buying a house is a serious commitment...Its not like going down to Tesco to buy a loaf of bread and milk. No doubt many calls will be made over the course of buying a property and enquiring about various properties out there on the market and arranging viewings etc. I suppose in retrospect they will ultimately be wasted calls if you want to look at it that way, if I don't go on to buy that property...But if it means I do end up in the house thats right for me as a result then so be it!

Croppy Bhoy

Again, I don't think what you're saying applies to my situation. I'm not looking to bu ya house or anything, I'm just a student looking to rent somewhere in Galway, where demand outstrips supply meaning landlords are free to treat their tenants and would-be tenants like crap.

Croppy Bhoy

Rang another lot there who refused to take me because I'm a second year student, despite being almost 23 years of age.

So I could be a 21 year old final year student doing a doss course, and that somehow makes me more mature than a 23 year old Law student. Nice one.

She initially even tried to say they won't take students, despite the advert specifically saying they do.