Apartment Hunting in Melbourne 2024 - with prices (more than 13 inspections 😭)

Apartment hunt in Melbourne, Australia with prices. Looking for a new home again because of a rent increase. Visited more than 15 places in the past 6 months and still couldn't really land on one that we really liked.
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Thanks for watching! Hope you enjoyed this!

[@iamchrisyap]

Am I being too picky?

[@indigo_died6910]

Not too picky, but I feel like you're not looking at enough places. Should be looking at a few places every weekend at least if you do want a 'wow' place

[@iamchrisyap]

Yeah? Where do you reckon I should look?

[@punkmetalbabe]

You are a little picky, especially the way the housing/rental market is right now, why just apartments? At $625 pw, you could probably find some housing rentals in the burbs for around that rent

[@indigo_died6910]

@@punkmetalbabe I'd call them picky if they were at risk of being homeless but they're really looking for an upgrade so in that context it's fine. But they gotta pump up those inspection numbers, they're rookie numbers

[@BigJoe-g3o]

of course not ! - an artist needs his space !!! :)

[@murdermostdownunder3562]

"if the owner is willing to change the floors" 😂😂😂😂 Mate, as a natural born Aussie I spat out my beer when you said that. $450 per week and thinking any landlord here will do anything for you in order to get you in... Ya dreamin'. I pay $500pw in Townsville.. I had 3 men come up my stairs to my apartment with a machete a few months ago and when I asked for a security screen or deadbolt for the front door they threatened not to renew my lease 🤣🤣🤣

[@iamchrisyap]

that's crazy.. yeah a friend of mine actually managed to get their landlord to do that before they went ahead with their application. never ask never know i guess haha

[@tom-vx1lp]

Not necessarily. Some landlords are different

[@chaos-ku4vw]

Damn, i had good landlords for the last 5 yrs until they retired and wanted the house back last september for their newly single daughter (bought for her initially but she gave it up) and i rented it from them. 3 bedroom 2 bathroom, fully detwtched from neighbours. Tall lockable (with a bike lock i bought that is) front gate, newish build (2012) I got new air con and new carpets in main bedroom in that time, a maintenace guy doing odd jobs all day (he was a bit slack though) and my rent only went up $30 in 5 yrs. Landlors signed off on my bond at exit inspection whrn i handed back the keys and my agent had it back in my bank by the end of that day so i gave her a good review online. Havent even attempt to rent anywhere else since yet. Priced out the market plus clearly i had it too good. I miss it. Staying with family for now until another such landlord presents themselves. Could be waiting a while i know. But from what many landlords are like its worth the wait. Sometimes its hard not to feel helpless and worthless and like theres no hope for the future and that i cant afford to rent a place. But then i remember thats what people told me as an unemployed disability pensioner 5 yrs ago and my landlord took a chance on me like a decent human and i got that awesome place. I had a nicer place than most people i know. It made the pandemic easier and more pleasant for me thats for sure. And i survived it all paying 70 percent of my income in rent on time every time for the entire 5 yrs. Sadly most rentals are over 100 percent of my income now however but what goes up must come down so now i wait....hopefully not forever because im getting old.

[@TeaTaeTome]

If someone wanted me to spend thousands to change floors I'd just choose another applicant. If you can afford to be picky in this rent climate then you do you though.

[@karenglenn6707]

I agree, it’s a bit delusional.

[@hugoracz3010]

Hey guys, for anyone who may not know this in Melbourne: Multiply the $ cost per week x 4.33 to give you your monthly rent cost. Eg; a house listed as $500 per week would = $2165 per month, not $2000 ✌️

[@iamchrisyap]

good note! i only found out about this when I was officially signing my first lease.

[@fotoautomatmusic]

Yes you times the weekly rent by 52 weeks of the year, then divide it by 12 months. Never understood why people think theres 4 weeks in every month when theres more.

[@goatboymagic9352]

no correct way to do is divide ur weekly rent by 7 then times it by 365 and then divide by 12 to get ur montly rent.

[@YZsTravelAdventures]

Issues in Melbourne is that often older places have shitty insulation so it gets super cold in winter

[@iamchrisyap]

Yeah that’s a common problem hey

[@EcopiuM]

Older places have better insluation than newer lmfao.

[@carissa7969]

@@EcopiuM I agree, my new build in Melb is a lot colder than my old 80s house.

[@KevChe]

Gonna echo what others have said and you need to up those inspection number way way up, especially with the current rental crisis situation. You can't be picky with that low numbers of inspections otherwise you'll never find a place, or lower your standards a little and offer upwards. It's not uncommon for highly sought after (which seem to be your criteria) locations to appear and disappear within a week or two, many with 20-50 prospect renters and 5-10+ applications. I was looking to either rent or buy for the past 3 months and I ultimately went to about 5-7 inspections every Saturday for 3 months straight, and sometimes even 2-3 during the work week. Luckily found a place to buy, but the process for both is the same. Shortlist your favourite two or three suburbs, rotate between them each week and target them especially hard each weekend (5-10 inspections per location), and you'll land something eventually. I would also maybe consider buying instead, given how much you're considering to pay in rental for these areas - not too far off a mortgage repayment and you get to renovate to your hearts content. All the best with the search mate!

[@jenlea9095]

The sad part is that most of the places you were looking at haven't changed much since the 90s other than back then they cost around $185 - $200 per week. Worlds gone mad !!

[@iamchrisyap]

$200 per week wow

[@jenlea9095]

@@iamchrisyap Yep and in the eighties, $150 a week would get you a fabulous new apartment or a huge house. Now my son pays a fortune to live in Sth Melb like you ( but loves it ) 🙂

[@dmoonj]

Good luck finding a place and sticking with your preferences...you're the one who has to feel comfortable so when you know you know 👍

[@iamchrisyap]

Thank you!

[@mikmikmik29]

damn, sydney must be bad because you wouldn't even be able to find a decent 2 bedroom for under $900 in the inner city at this point

[@iamchrisyap]

😳😳

[@Soldknight324]

$625 is still cheap for a 2bdr 1 car in South Melbourne

[@iamchrisyap]

yeah it is. market rate is about $650-700.

[@jenniferflorence8503]

I don't think you are being picky. You just know what you guys want and I keep agreeing with what you said. Good luck on finding the place, cant wait to find out what's happening in the next video.

[@iamchrisyap]

thank you for affirming that!!!

[@Dimma69]

For the price, the Brighton unit would be my choice 🙌 . That was good cheers

[@iamchrisyap]

nice! thanks for watching!

[@user-tt5xj5ib1e]

Compared to Sydney those prices seem like a bargain for getting a spacious unit close to transport, parks and beaches. Sydney would be nearly double those prices at the moment. Try South Yarra and Prahran, they have a lot of heritage-style apartments close to the park :)

[@iamchrisyap]

😭😭 I love Sydney. But yeah the prices are even crazier hey. Double is madddd. Will check out SY and Prahran for sure!

[@user-qw7wx4kr9r]

The prices are only so high because of increased demand. The places are still disgusting and the landlords are still criminals. Sydney has always been eerily hyper-expensive and Melbourne is catching up.

[@lorz9449]

I would never put in a lower offer... I thought you were gonna say $45 more. You didn’t look that far out of the city. I think you should consider areas like Mentone, Moorabbin, and Bentleigh.😊

[@iamchrisyap]

Yeah would love to consider exploring further out. But we both work in the city and spend 85% of our time here. We might need to give that a go we’ll see! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@jonsil001]

I just can't with Melbourne, you literally now exist just to pay rent. And the standard of housing vs the price is just nose-diving, I don't really know where we'll end up in 10 years, stressful and depressing being a renter. 🤣

[@sorrowmask7649]

The old apartments tend to be bigger and better layouts but at the same time they are old except the ones with renovation. I would say you should try Caulfield or Fritzroy or North Melbourne. South Melbourne and St Kilda are expensive.

[@SharonSmith-sb6xx]

Good on you for standing your ground re the rental price. Good luck! Something will come your way.

[@iamchrisyap]

Thanks Sharon!

[@wanderingwithyanvlogs]

Really interesting to see the rental market and what you can get for certain prices. Thanks for the vlog.

[@iamchrisyap]

Yeah it is hey. Hope you enjoyed it!

[@DanTuber]

You said you were moving cos your rent was too high so you pick a place that costs more than where you're currently staying??? That makes no sense

[@iamchrisyap]

Hahah fair point. It was actually a townhouse and in a nicer area. Plus I feel like it’s way nicer than our current place. Felt like a better deal in that sense. 😂

[@DanTuber]

@@iamchrisyap Better deal, until the rent is raised. Then you start looking again. Moving is a pain.

[@iamchrisyap]

Very fair point my friend.. 😂

[@kingrando]

I thought that also 😂 I just assumed they were happy with the price, but needed a larger home to make it worth it.

[@cruzsimeki3067]

Oh wow, glad i'm not alone in the search either! Except i'm over here in Auckland, NZ. Melbourne looks exactly the same as here in terms of prices etc. Dire situation in my opinion

[@iamchrisyap]

Oh yeah? Is it just in the city or tricky too even if slightly further out?

[@wazza146]

Amazing video. Amazing editing. Great content and structure. I wish all of KZbin was this entertaining and effective

[@iamchrisyap]

Wow thanks for the kind words. Means a lot! Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@karenglenn6707]

I lived in Auburn Rd Hawthorn for years a long time ago. It’s a fabulous place to live, close to Glenferrie Rd, close to town, beautiful and leafy. I live in central Victoria now but will always love Hawthorn. Maybe worth a try for you.

[@iamchrisyap]

Hawthorn is beautiful!!!

[@liam560]

So many of these apartments were terrible. It's really concerning seeing how poor standards are especially compared to how much rent they expect. I wouldn't offer some of these places to my worst enemy lmao.

[@ChristianReaction]

Love the new vid man! Good to have you back 👏 👏 👏

[@iamchrisyap]

thank you michaelhyung!

[@VIBINATION]

Sth Melb apartment was mint, was not meant to be ay, wishing you guys all the best with the hunt you got this 🍀😎🤙

[@iamchrisyap]

hahaha thanks mate

[@Tilly-go3ev]

Good luck guys. I sincerely hope it all goes well.

[@iamchrisyap]

Thank you!

[@jryland805]

I’m amazed at how many places you had to inspect. In Brisbane I was checking the apps, just waiting for somewhere new to be listed and there was not much available at all. I compromised on so many things, and still struggled to find something adequate. And I say this as a single white (I am so embarrassed by my white privilege, but not oblivious to it) woman, with excellent rental history, and with full-time employment.

[@iamchrisyap]

we need more and better properties!

[@sevrantw8931]

The place you put an offer in on is worth the $695 I feel. All the average dog boxes in South Melb are $650. You can't put a price on your sanity and peace that a nice place like that will give you. If your reading this I can't suggest enough to do mould testing in Melbourne rentals. I suffered one year in an older house I brought in Port Melbourne that had a hidden mould issue after being a long term rental and it wrecked my health whilst I figured out what was going on. So many places have this issue but the Agents and Owners don't want to be proactive about it.

[@iamchrisyap]

Nah I agree with you. Really tempted to pay the asking price but it would put us in unnecessary financial pressure. How do you do mould testing?

[@suddenlyold]

My daughters live in Sydney the houses they live in are dumps the landlord does nothing and they pay over double for trash 1950's never fixed houses, but they love beaches they work in Sydney and other friends live out there, they will never be able to buy a house rent kills

[@iamchrisyap]

😭 I’m sorry to hear that

[@suddenlyold]

@@iamchrisyap didn't realise how much cheaper melbourne is

[@Bulleyes22]

My 3BHK went up from $650/w to $950/w in southbank🙃

[@iamchrisyap]

🔪

[@Keepinitreel108]

Sending positive vibes for you to get the apartment bro! 🧘🏾‍♂️🙏🏽

[@iamchrisyap]

thanks man!!

[@johnbeart]

Great video. Best of luck 🤞🏻😁

[@iamchrisyap]

Thanks mate

[@itsdannyftw]

Keep us posted on when you lock one in!

[@iamchrisyap]

Will do!

[@pakkwanling4207]

would like to know where you search for listings :) cheers!

[@iamchrisyap]

On realestate and domain app!

[@Kpophdvidfan]

Hmmm $600s/wk isn’t too exy for a 2bed in the city/surrounds imo. But def stick with your budget! The skylight in the bedroom could get annoying😂 maybe not for morning ppl I guess 😅..

[@iamchrisyap]

Yeah you’re right. The skylight place has automated blinds!

[@mdee8784]

Boy don’t ever move to Singapore those prices are a bargain 😂

[@iamchrisyap]

i've heard things....

[@elliotoliver8679]

$A625 per week! insane

[@iamchrisyap]

It is 😭

[@annaefimenkova8710]

I'd say in Ireland will be same

[@ykook7000]

Not really insane that's just normal Sydney prices even though it's Melbourne...especially bayside Melbourne that's the bougie side of town

[@k.vn.k]

For 2 bdrm, a cp anda garden? Nah mate that’s a bargain. I paid $1000 pw for a tiny studio (almost a micro size)! Granted it was right in the middle of CBD, with gym, swimming pool, spa/sauna, shopping mall, a concierge, futuristic design and a million dollars view.

[@darmelli954]

Actually I agree.. 625 for a newish clean apartment in south melbourne ( basically one of the nicest happening suburbs in melbourne, a 5 min walk to the city, best cafes, 5 min walk to free trams into the city.. 2 bedrooms.. yeah that is a bargain.. and woulda still been a bargain 4-5 years ago, I live up north and that’s standard price up there minus the beach..

[@seastar3909]

If you can buy, then buy!

[@iamchrisyap]

Yeah would love to. Hopefully in the near future! 🙏🏼

[@Bulleyes22]

If we don’t flooded with million migrants, these places have significant fall in terms of prices and demand. Too much demand keeping shitty places on the market.

[@kundaigogoma9420]

why don't you look at houses, so many affordabel and spacois optio for that price range heck even one or two more bedroom too

[@iamchrisyap]

we did consider that, but we spend 70% of our waking hours in Southbank. so we're a little reluctant to move further out.

[@kingrando]

Waiting out and praying may help until they bump it to the price they want 🤣

[@iamchrisyap]

🥲

[@mamig3216]

Omgggg the camberwell one is❤ with some acid the toilet is fixed

[@iamchrisyap]

It’s beautiful isn’t it! What does the acid do?

[@mamig3216]

@@iamchrisyap ugh my comment keeps getting removed, Hydrochloric is great for removing stubborn buildups and nasty stains. That was the best one! The neighborhood is beautiful and the neighbor’s mansion is so nice. I think with a bit of DIY the bathroom has potential, new mirror and new faucets cozy decor and it’s good to go.

[@mamig3216]

It’s strong stuff so better to have a professional cleaner handle it

[@iamchrisyap]

Yeah totally agree with you. Huge potential that space! Someone else has already rented the place. Hopefully they’ll enjoy it haha. Thanks for the tips!

[@mamig3216]

@@iamchrisyap hope you’ll find yours soon, moving is always stressful 😩

[@inikainika1523]

If you love the place you're in now, I don't understand why you'd want to move into something more expensive. Get a two year lease.

[@iamchrisyap]

Just wanting a change haha

[@ehawolczecki8759]

Wow you could be paying that amount for your own apartment ….but I guess in the times bit risky .

[@user-qw7wx4kr9r]

It is painful watching you only search south-east. Everything is old, small, and more expensive than northern suburbs. You could get somewhere nicer in good driving distance.

[@iamchrisyap]

I work in south Melbourne, so I was trying to avoid needing to drive through the city daily. Any specific northern suburbs you’d recommend?

[@purplelobster9509]

@@iamchrisyap alot of local work in the city but they don't live there, people just drive and park their car at train station and take the train in. With your budget and your list, you won't get that in the city look further out.

[@lee8797]

Live in a hovel and BUY. The market is getting flooded with units.

[@ryanh5242]

15:15 lol no way you did that and expect the landlord to pick you hahaha they aint no charity mate or maybe you are too picky/naive some would even say they hate cheapskates

[@tom-vx1lp]

The Elwood one is near me

[@iamchrisyap]

Nice! You enjoy living there?

[@tom-vx1lp]

@@iamchrisyap yea good spot

[@tom-vx1lp]

@@iamchrisyap lots of nice brick deco apartments

[@Darkmaster201107]

What websites did you use to find your place?

[@iamchrisyap]

Domain and realestate!

[@joannaplayzroblox1405]

its gonna take you 10 years to find a place if this is your attitude with Melbourne current rental crisis

[@iamchrisyap]

you reckon? 😂

[@joannaplayzroblox1405]

@@iamchrisyap yup theres been over 50 people at every place ive looked at and i still haven’t gotten a place after a year

[@nickjanides6591]

So your rent has gone up and uou aren't happy. But! You are prepared to pay much much more by looking at much more expensive apartments...doesn't make sense, lol Btw, The Hamptons as you call Hampton is absolutely nothing like the real Hamptons outside of NYC.

[@tyler_raf23]

hey man, could you recommend me a website or fb page etc where you find these rental properties. cheers

[@iamchrisyap]

Hey mate, I just search these up through realestate/domain app!

[@tyler_raf23]

@@iamchrisyap thank you! i really enjoyed your videos, we are planning to move 2025 :)

[@iamchrisyap]

Thanks mate. Glad you did! Welcome to Melb in advance!

[@tyler_raf23]

@@iamchrisyap thank you! hope we will see you around :)

[@halitosis75]

😂😂😂😂😂😂 so your prepared to move out of underpriced flat in south Melbourne at 625 pw to move into another 625 pw flat haha 😄 😆 🤣 😜 😅 😂 😄

[@iamchrisyap]

👀👀

[@ti2809]

why cant you just make more money? 🤷

[@iamchrisyap]

working on that as we speak

[@j0hnnyl3gend]

this video annoyed me cos you made yourself out to sound unrealistic and entitled. it's either floor, kitchen, cbf gardening, this, that... dude cmon

[@iamchrisyap]

I’ve just got a very specific vision/preference in mind haha

[@blessedtobealive]

It must be so nice being Asian, you just skate through life.

[@iamchrisyap]

Hmm. What makes you say that?

[@dmoonj]

Wtf seriously 🙄

[@ash-kk7il]

What a weird thing to say!

[@edwinagolombek3253]

Australia isn't right for you..

[@iamchrisyap]

🥲

[@dmoonj]

What's up with the racism, just don't watch if that's your attitude!

[@user-er3bx8qb1j]

Perhaps it's time you left Australia.

[@iamchrisyap]

🥲

[@user-er3bx8qb1j]

We're crying because so many of you are here. Go away.

[@ash-kk7il]

​@user-er3bx8qb1j not the racism

[@jasenjones]

Greedy greedy greedy landlords. I hope it sits empty for a while. But in this market, unfortunately it will not and they will most probably get the weekly asking price😞

[@MikeyInThailand]

As an landlord/investor If you key in a 700k repayment it’s 4k a month and also the council rates/ insurance have gone up so much and vic govt charging land tax, I’m surprised the rent isn’t double it is now. Just some prospective as a suffering landlord. I will sell mine when my tennant gives notice, and many landlords are also. It will only get worse unfortunately 😢

[@cindy-px2kr]

@@MikeyInThailand i dont get why people are selling off due to land tax ? what an earth are they doing after they sell ?? makes no sence either work harder ?? or keep the property makes no sense to sell off ur home some of these people are young ?

[@MikeyInThailand]

@@cindy-px2kr hi Cindy, can put the money left over in the bank and earn 5% interest without fear or more costs coming and meeting all the requirements for a property to be compliant according to the laws.