House of dreams.

 
Haha. The first place I lived in when I moved out of home is for sale. $300,000 is a bargain on the Sydney scale, but to me it seems a lot for an East Maitland 2.5 bedroom weatherboard cottage with an outside toilet. And the outside toilet wasn't the worst of it. The whole place was small and old and always smelled like the stuff we fought cockroaches with, and it's located close to a street called Skilton Avenue, which should tell you what kind of street. Charles Dickens must have named that street. Living near Skilton Avenue we had our toilet paper stolen and after we moved out the wheelie bin was set fire to and scorched the outside of the house pretty dangerously. We paid $215 per week (not each) to rent it, and we were grateful, because the rental market in Maitland was tight and we were the bottom of the pile. Now I know how expensive renting can be, but I don't think I would go back to this one to save money.

The best place I have ever rented was in Bowral. Modern 2 bedroom unit with views for $180 p/w. When I shared it, I paid $90 a week, which is stunningly cheap. Because in Bowral nobody who is anybody rents, especially a place with no garden. When one next door went for sale it was for $250,000, which shows you the demand for buying verses renting. Renters are treated like kings and queens. Literally, when I enquired about a place I was offered a viewing time of my choice, and a lift in the agent's car. That is what I call service.

The Sydney experience is different again. It's about speed and strategy and only getting an offer because the agent randomly picks your application off the top of the pile and you can't even remember the inside of the house because you were in such a hurry to get to the next place and maximize your chances. Once you are in, you hold on and hope your landlady likes you. She must, because after 15 months no inspections and no rent increase. Thank you, God! I really love where I live now. If rent is twice as expensive as Maitland, it's worth it. City convenience and inside toilet. I'm so blessed.