Finding reliable tenants has always been a very important job for property managers. 1form makes it easier than ever for everyone involved in the application process.

Allowing renters to apply for multiple properties with just one form, the online application is the preferred system of choice for real estate agents trying to find the most suitable tenants for their properties.

REA Group Executive Manager for Rent Kul Singh says it’s difficult to overstate the importance of any feature that makes it easier for property managers and landlords to find the right tenant for their homes

“Investment properties can be one of the most expensive assets a landlord has, and finding a great tenant provides them with confidence that their asset is being looked after,” he says.

“Our survey² found that the most important factor for landlords and property managers is finding the best tenant (83%) – it’s even more important than higher rental yield and leasing out the property faster.”

Anything that makes the process of finding a quality tenant easier is widely appreciated by the rental market. Picture: Getty

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The pet section

The pet section in 1form asks tenants to supply their pet’s name, its breed and council registration number. And it also asks renters to write a bio and include a picture. As new tenancy laws are put in place across the country to make it easier to secure a rental with a pet, this comes at a key time.

Joanne Pearson from McGrath Real Estate St Kilda says she enjoys receiving applications with pet information, as transparency between the tenant and the agent is key to a healthy ongoing relationship.

“We’re a very pro-pet company, and, in the past, we’ve asked tenants to create a pet application to get them over the line. We love getting applications with beautiful pet photos and thought-out bios, so having this addition to 1form suits us,” she says.

REA data suggests its important for property managers, too, with 48% saying that they always research the breed of tenant’s pet³. By giving tenants the option of adding a complete overview of their pet, 1form’s feature has the potential to dramatically reduce the time property managers spend on research.

Profile pictures of both the potential tenants and pets help the agent connect. Picture: Tim Hunter.

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Getting to know you

1form also includes a bio and picture section for the human applicant, which makes the application more personal.

“It’s great because you get a sense of who they are with this extra information – it’s not just a form,” says Pearson. “It helps to make a connection to that person.”

Make sure when you’re searching for your next rental that you sign into your MYREA account. By having an account, you can save the rentals you want to apply for later, keep up-to-date on new rentals in the market within your preferred neighbourhoods, and contact listing agents to find out more about the property.

^{1 Adobe Omniture, Oct – Dec 2017. 2 Residential Consumer Omnibus, Sept 2017. 3 REA National Property Management survey, Mar 2018.}

This article was originally published on
7 Jan 2020 at 9:00am
but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.

Home ownership rates among 25-34 year olds are in free fall in Australia. 

According to an analysis by the ABC, the proportion of Australians in this age bracket who own their own home dropped from 61% in 1981 to 45% in 2016, and the rental market has become fiercely competitive as a result.

In fact, 47% of renters in a realestate.com.au survey identified competition among renters as an “extremely frustrating” part of the rental process – a pain point that Kul Singh, REA Group Executive Manager for Rent, hopes to address with the rental application platform 1form. 

By setting up your 1form profile, applying for your next rental will be a simple process. With all your information in one place, you can apply with just a click of a button to as many properties as you like.

A perfect storm of rising living costs, slow wages growth and unaffordable housing means that Australians are renting for much longer. Picture: Kate Griffin/REA Group

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Known as Tenant Verification, the new feature helps renters push their rental applications to the front of the queue, by providing property managers with thorough background checks.

“It’s an opportunity for renters to stand out from the crowd, as it offers proof of identity and provides background checks, which go a long way towards convincing property managers that they will be great renters,” says Singh. 

To add a Tenant Verification report to their application, users log into 1form, click ‘Get Verified’ – desktop users will find this option at the top of the page; mobile users, in the dropdown menu on the left-hand side – and then select ‘Verify for just $29’.

The report contains the results of an identity check through the Australian Government Document Verification Service and specifies whether you are listed on Equifax’s National Tenancy Database. The report remains valid for 6 months, during which time you can attach it to all your rental applications to give yourself the edge.

1form’s Tenant Verification feature helps renters stand out from the crowd. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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According to Singh, the peace of mind and time-saving benefits that these background checks offer to property managers mean that they “prioritise these applications first”.

“Property managers are often processing large volumes of applications, and to have certain tenants proactively including Tenant Verification reports as part of their applications really helps them identify the strongest candidates,” he says.

Consequently, in a highly competitive rental market, a Tenant Verification report could be the difference between a tenant picking up a new set of keys and coming up empty-handed.

With many Australians now renting well into their 30s, the rental market has become fiercely competitive. Picture: Getty

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“There is a lot happening to make the experience for a renter to apply and secure a property easier and more enjoyable,” says Singh.

Make sure when you’re searching for your next rental that you sign into your MYREA account. By having an account, you can save the rentals you want to apply for later, keep up-to-date on new rentals in the market within your preferred neighbourhoods, and contact listing agents to find out more about the property.

This article was originally published on
7 Jan 2020 at 10:15am
but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.