Mum-of-three Alexia Lind knew finding a rental home on the Gold Coast was going to be incredibly tough - especially with one percent vacancy rates.
That’s why she engaged Keen on Property to assist with her family’s move from Sweden.
She told founder Darren Keen she’d love a four-bedroom house with a pool in a safe, quiet area. But having read about the fierce competition for rentals - and all the additional challenges international movers faced - Alexia didn’t really hope out much hope.
However, what she actually got was so much more..
“The house is brand new. We're the first people to live in it. Even the neighbors can’t believe it. They say, ‘How did you get into that house?
“We feel so lucky.”
Let’s start at the beginning. Why did you choose Keen on Property?
“I stumbled upon Darren in a moving to Brisbane Facebook group. He wasn't promoting his business. He just kept popping up answering people's questions. I thought that was such a genuine thing to be doing because he’s not making money from giving free advice.”
Why did you decide to use a buyer’s agent?
“Time was going quick - we were going to be flying soon. It was so stressful to think about trying to find a house as well - I started with anxiety at just the thought of it. So for me, there was no question.”
Why did you decide to use Keen on Property and not another buyer’s agent?
“I had a good feeling about Darren with the way he answered people's questions freely. And he knows what he's talking about. We booked a chat, and it felt like we'd known Darren for years. It felt like talking to a friend. We thought, do we really want to be paying for an Airbnb while trying to find a rental with three kids? No, we don't. So we booked Darren and didn't look up any other people. And that was the best choice we made.”
In what ways has using Keen on Property made the move from Sweden easier?
“We flew into the country on a Thursday and we moved into our house on the Monday. That’s saved us so much anxiety, stress and pressure - there hasn't been any. It’s been so easy.””
Now you’re actually here, what’s the Gold Coast rental market really like?
“From what I've seen and talking to the neighbors I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have anywhere to live right now. One girl who works in the hospital nearby said her friends were doctors, and they were struggling, having to stand in queues after 14 hour shifts trying to get houses.’
What do you think would have happened if you’d not engaged Keen on Property?
“Without Darren, I’m 99% sure we’d still be looking for somewhere to live, going all over Brisbane and the Gold Coast in a rental car, standing in queues in the heat with three kids moaning for snacks. It would have been a nightmare. I just can't even bear the thought.”
Okay, so it’s easier with help. But how did engaging a buyer’s agent make financial sense?
“Financially, we would have been worse off without Darren’s help because the Airbnb cost more than the weekly rent. And we’d have had to keep prolonging it. And maybe move to another Airbnb if that one was already booked.”
What was the communication from Keen on Property like?
“If I send Darren a text or call, he answers. If he doesn't answer within the first 10 minutes, it will be very soon. I don't know how he manages!”
XHEAD: How could you tell Darren was so knowledgeable?
“Darren had the answer for everything, whatever I had a question for. He’s always so calm and not stressed. That calmed me down. And his tips made it all so easy.”
How did Keen on Property exceed your expectations
“In the beginning, when Darren asked what we would like, I was very specific in that I just wanted to get to the country. We didn’t really care. But Darren said, ‘Yeah, but what would you like?’ So I told him ideally, we’d like four bedrooms, access to a pool, some kind of community, a home in a cul-de-sac, near a park and a supermarket, not on a busy street. But I wasn't expecting to get any of this because, let's be realistic, it sounds like a lot. But, we got all of it- plus the bonus that the house is brand new. We're the first people to live in it.”
What was the luggage situation like?
“I started to panic about how we were going to get our 10 big suitcases in a tiny Airbnb.
I asked Darren if he knew a place we could put our bags in the city. He knew a guy who drives a taxi bus, and said ‘leave them in the van and get the driver to bring them down to me, I'll put them in storage here next to your house.’ Perfect! That saved our lives because we didn't have the keys to our house yet.”
Tell us about your first few days
“We flew into the country on the Thursday and had a few days in the city. We followed Darren's tips of what to do - like how to open a bank account and get an Australian phone number. Darren sorted everything with the agent. We got the keys on the Monday and came down to our brand new house. It had everything we wanted - in a cul-de-sac, with kids in the neighborhood, a pool. We’d asked for four bedrooms but we thought we were dreaming - three bedrooms would have been fine - but we got four. And three bathrooms!”
What about furniture?
“Following Darren’s advice, we’d done a pre order of IKEA furniture. The truck pulled up with the furniture, and then Darren pulled up with all our suitcases. It was unbelievable!”
What’s the transition been like for the kids?
“We moved in on the Monday and went to the closest school on the Tuesday for a meeting. The principal asked when we wanted to start and I said after the school holidays because there were only three days left of school. And he said, ‘They can come tomorrow if they want.’
“So they started directly on the Wednesday. That was unbelievable. That would never happen in Sweden.
It was very straightforward with the paperwork at the school. They said we could take some of the second hand uniforms until the uniform shop opens. The kids were up for it which was great, because they needed to meet some kids and make friends. Now they have school holidays, but they can't wait to go back to school in another week!”
Whether you’re buying, renting, or investing in Queensland, you don’t have to do it alone.
