What to do? Advertise as 1 or 2 Brms?

[CairnsInvestor]

I currently have one of my IPs for rent at the moment. First time I've advertised it for rent; as the current tenant is leaving because I upped the rent at the renewal ($20 increase).

This is the unit:

http://www.realestate.com.au/cgi-bi...t=&header=&cc=&c=86723189&s=qld&tm=1207098801

The unit I have for rent is small & consists of 1 main bedroom + smaller 2nd brm/office (the room has a concertina door). I've always seen it as a small 2 brm unit, however the current tenant (1 person) uses the main living/dining area shown in photo as a dining room & the 2nd brm as a living room; & potential tenants are inspecting the unit & viewing it as a 1 brm.

Now here's the question, should I advertise the unit as a 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom?? I see the situation above as no different when you see a 4 brm home advertised & you view it & it's seen as 3 brms + office (you can still use the office as a 4th bedroom if it's big enough, which my unit's 2nd brm is big enough to have another bed in it).

The rent was previously $195pw & I upped it to $215pw. I'm thinking of just reducing the rent to $215pw & leaving the advert as is. Any thoughts?

 

[wylie]

I would definitely advertise it as two bedrooms and let the applicants decide whether the second bedroom suits them.

If you advertise it as one bedroom, you will cut out ENTIRELY a big number of potential tenants.

 

[Bazza]

Yes definitely advertise it as 2 bedroom. We have a 3 bed plus study/bed and always advertise it as 4 bed.

Cheers,

Bazza

 

[Dave Hooper]

That's a pretty cool address. I have never seen a 00 before.

 

[ianvestor]

Yes definitely advertise it as 2 bedroom. We have a 3 bed plus study/bed and always advertise it as 4 bed.

Cheers,

Bazza

Is that legal? And would the legality be different for sales/rentals?

I bought a '3-bedroom' house recently which is basically 4 bedrooms but the one downstairs is a few mm off being legal height. I feel that the agent did the right thing by advertising as 3 bedrooms, but I wonder now if they could have got into legal trouble advertising it differently.

 

[wylie]

My understanding of the "legality" of calling something a bedroom is challenged by two factors - legal head height and window/venting.

A house nearby is currently for sale and the adverts clearly mention the four bedrooms upstairs and go on to talk about the extra rooms downstairs which are not legal head height. I believe these rooms must be called utility or storage rooms, even though they are fully functioning living and bedrooms, because they are a few centimetres short of being legal head height.

One of our SS real estate agents will perhaps confirm the legalities of advertising them as bedrooms and tell us what would happen to an agent who mis-represented them as being "legal" living rooms.

Our son is living in a downstairs bedroom (full legal head height) with his own ensuite. The ensuite has a window to the garage, which has three windows. My understanding is that if we sell this house, we would have to knock a window through his wall into the garage so there is actually a window in his room (as opposed to in the adjoining bathroom). I don't know whether this would still be able to be called a "bedroom" because the window opens to a garage.

We always planned that one day, the garage will become living space, so this is not something we are concerned about, but if we suddenly had to sell, I think his room possibly may have to be called a "utility room".

Does anybody know whether a window is a pre-requisite for a bedroom. Plenty of old queenslanders have internal bedrooms with windows opening on to an enclosed verandah, which once would have been open to the elements. These bedrooms are always advertised as "legal" bedrooms.

I am now getting very curious.

 

[jsj]

I would advertise as 2 bedrooms and allow the tenants to decide. The icons on your ad are 2 br but the ad copy contradicts this which may make tenants wary. I think it should be marketed as a villa rather than a unit. In my opinion,using the words small and compact should be avoided too. The main pic has been taken of the complex and a distortion lens used to get the whole complex in. This makes it look tiny. A photo of the building from closer would make it appear bigger. Getting the address right will allow tenants to do drive bys too. You won't make the unit bigger but the more people who look at it , the better your chances of someone liking it.
(maybe try ringing Debbie at Ray White on Mulgrave?)

As to the legalities, if it is a bedroom on the plans you can call it one, if not it is a grey area.
I see many homes advertised with bedrooms underneath, which are definitely not legal, even if council approved the building, unless council have signed off for habitation.
Even if a house is 'legal height' underneath, the slab has to be raised off the ground and the rooms have to be correctly sealed against weather and vermin.
Just being 12 besser blocks high does not mean it is legal height.
Unless a home has council compliance certificate, I sell it with 'air conditioned store rooms' or studies underneath.Buyers who need the bedrooms generally still look and everyone is happy.

Good luck with renting your 2 bed private, secure villa in a pleasant low density complex. Yes there are others, but not as good as this one!

 

[Insan3]

Hi CairnsInvestor,

At $215/wk in Whitfield, from what I have seen in the photos - I would imagine either way will have it occupied soon.

Do you recall what it was classed as when purchased? 1bdr or 2?

 

[CairnsInvestor]

Hi CairnsInvestor,

At $215/wk in Whitfield, from what I have seen in the photos - I would imagine either way will have it occupied soon.

Do you recall what it was classed as when purchased? 1bdr or 2?

When I bought it, it was advertised as a 2 brm unit.