What was your first rental like?

Thinking back to my first rental.
I had just left school after year 11. I was 17 1/2 years old

I wanted my own place after working 6 weeks. I worked full time in a factory and made $3.68 hr. My take home pay was $125 net. Rent was $155 month.

My first apartment was small.It was semi furnished. It had a combined kitchen and sitting area. That is actually a generous description. It had a combo unit of fridge,sink, which an over head cupboard.A rangette was a 2 burner electric stove.I could either use both elements or one element and the oven.

A chrome kitchen dinette set, with 4 chairs that did not match.Across from that was a divan (armless lounge, that folded down to a bed)
In another room there were 2 single beds,a dresser and wardrobe.

The bathroom had a tub, with no shower, toilet and basin.

This apt came with heat and lights, but I had no control over the heat. The apt under me had that control. It also came with tv cable..which I found out a couple of months later, when someone lent me a tv.

My first day shopping for my new place consisted of bedding.I never knew that flannelette sheets were bought individually (well they were at that time).
Having limited funds, I made due with one sheet, one blanket, pillow and pillowcase. I also splurged and bought 2 towels.

We didn't have discount stores back then. I didn't know very much about thrift/OP shops, or i would have gone there.

I still remember the first time I wanted to bake a cake. It cost me $11 to buy the bowl, pan, measuring cups etc and the cake mix. That was an expensive cake.

I stayed there for 6 months.
 
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A run down 4 bedroom terrace near Sydney Uni, sharing with a floating population of 5 to 12 others.

Good times. Good times.

The taste of Mi Goreng noodles takes me back every time.

That said, we had some semi decent furniture (night time drives around Mosman, Wahroonga etc on Council pick up nights) it was generally relatively clean and it didn't leak/have any structural defects putting it well above the usual class of student accomodation.
 
My then girlfriend (now wife) and I moved into a two bedroom double storey unit in the early 2000's. It was nice enough, but didn't have any air conditioning, which is pretty much a necessity in the Adelaide summer.

On a hot day, walking up the stairs to the bedroom, it felt like the temperature rose 2 degrees with every step.
 
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Thinking back to my first rental.
I had just left school after year 11. I was 17 1/2 years old

I wanted my own place after working 6 weeks. I worked full time in a factory and made $3.68 hr. My take home pay was $125 net.

How much was the rent? Was that in Canada?

My first job at target was paying in the five dollar range ph, casual so perhaps the same as your job. I think we're around the same age.

Until recently I've never felt so rich. No more tooth fairy, no more reliance on pocket money.

My first rental out of the folks was a share house with 3-4 other guys. My share of the rent was around $40 pw, either $37.50 or $42.50. We chipped in for a cleaner, who only ever managed to wash the dishes on her watch, which looking back was amazing considering no one cooked. I soon left and went elsewhere.
 
How much was the rent? Was that in Canada?

My first job at target was paying in the five dollar range ph, casual so perhaps the same as your job. I think we're around the same age.

Until recently I've never felt so rich. No more tooth fairy, no more reliance on pocket money.

My first rental out of the folks was a share house with 3-4 other guys. My share of the rent was around $40 pw, either $37.50 or $42.50. We chipped in for a cleaner, who only ever managed to wash the dishes on her watch, which looking back was amazing considering no one cooked. I soon left and went elsewhere.

I went back and edited it.
This is 1977 canada...and the rent was $155 month.

I wasn't a casual worker. It was full time 40 hrs a week making more than minimum wage.
 
A quite spacious 2 bed villa with a single lug and a small courtyard belonging to my (then) husbands boss - we painted it in exchange for lower rental. Walking distance to the train station. Furnished 100% with castoffs or op shop buys.

Did have to steam clean the carpets when we moved in as previous tenants were smokers - the water came out like tar :cool:

The boss sold it when we moved out in 1988 as bought a ppor - $40,000 - wish I'd bought it as now worth over $370k
 
Lizzie,
Do you remember what the rent was compared to how much you were earning?


In 1980 I stopped renting and purchased a 2 bedroom mobile home for $6500 and the lot rental was $40 a month. (which included water)
Sold it 2 years later for $8800.

We own several mobiles in this park now, and the lot rent is now $170 month (which still only includes water)
 
I think I can see where this thread is heading. It will be one of those 'youngsters today are soft and don't realise how their parents had to scrimp and save and live in squalor etc etc' type of threads.

My best mate rented a house on Caroline Street, Redfern - half a dozen doors along from the junction of Everleigh Street i.e. in 'the block'. We were both at Sydney uni at the time. I was a co-tenant, but didn't stay there all the time - I was probably too soft. We were the only 'whiteys' in the area. The house didn't have locks on the front door - no point. It wasn't unusual to come downstairs in the morning and find half a dozen blokes in the front room watching telly. Until the telly got nicked. We talked to one of the local elders and a few days later another telly showed up. It wasn't our one, but we appreciated the gesture (though the previous owners of that telly may not have appreciated it). Any food we put in the fridge disappeared. Then the fridge did, too. We didn't bother looking for another one. There was no point having any food in the house unless you ate it straightaway. Takeaway food was fine with us, though. Not once did we ever feel threatened, but I didn't have many restful sleeps - it was a tad disconcerting hearing people downstairs in the house at night. I think if we had put a lock on the front door, it would have ended in tears for us.
 
My then girlfriend (now wife) moved into a two bedroom double storey unit in the early 2000's. It was nice enough, but didn't have any air conditioning, which is pretty much a necessity in the Adelaide summer.

On a hot day, walking up the stairs to the bedroom, it felt like the temperature rose 2 degrees with every step.

Are you sure that was the case in the 'honeymoon stage'? :p;)

pinkboy
 
I think I can see where this thread is heading. It will be one of those 'youngsters today are soft and don't realise how their parents had to scrimp and save and live in squalor etc etc' type of threads.

I don't think so.
It brings back fond memories though.

I worked shift. After getting to bed one morning at 9 am, after working all night, I woke up to 2 men in my apt. The landlord and another guy were delivering a newer lounge to the kitchen. That was probably my worst experience. But they left.I'm not sure if they knew I was home.
The landlord owned furniture stores, and many times took trade ins, which he used in his apts.
 
The year was 1992 and I was 18. It was a 2 x 1 villa in Lynwood WA that I shared with a couple who I worked with at a pizza shop at night (Uni during the day)

I think the rent was $120 a week and it was perfect for our needs - we weren't there much - the hubby worked full time at the pizza shop from 3pm-1am and would sleep during the day. I would be at Uni during the day then work at the pizza shop 3 nights a week from 5-1am. My income was $168 per week.

The added bonus of working in the pizza shop was that we got free pizza and the heat of the pizza oven was so overwhelming that we never felt that our little villa was hot :)

2 years later I started selling new homes with Pacesetter and HomeStart- my love affair with houses began in earnest.

I led a pretty nomadic life of shared rentals until I was 23 when I met my DH.
 
I have never rented or paid board of any type. I bought my first property.

I do however lease my business premises. Still in my first shed that I leased 7 years ago. At first, 324m2 was a lot of space. I used to store peoples stuff and move about fairly freely.

These days I have around 800m2 of shed space (spread over 4 sheds up and down the same street) and about another 800m2 of hardstand and it is never enough space. My neighbours probably get a bit $h!tty at times because I always manage to squeeze 1 more truck rim somewhere in the yard! :eek:

pinkboy:cool:
 
I don't think so.
It brings back fond memories though.

I worked shift. After getting to bed one morning at 9 am, after working all night, I woke up to 2 men in my apt. The landlord and another guy were delivering a newer lounge to the kitchen. That was probably my worst experience. But they left.I'm not sure if they knew I was home.
The landlord owned furniture stores, and many times took trade ins, which he used in his apts.

My experience was only a few years ago - it started with a 20 ;)

So yeah, I agree, everyone has a dodgy first rental. It's all part of the fun of moving out of home, being independent and looking after yourself.

I'm mates with a few people still at uni and the standard of shared student accomodation has really not got any better! Same with the lower end of the rental market by and large.

Just fond memories for me.

The first adult place I rented, if that makes sense, was probably the worst. It looked good, new paint, decent kitchen, great ocean views (was in Avoca Beach) but it was on the side of the hill and there was a bit of an issue with a few of the piers moving quite substantially and the SW corner of the house actually sagging by quite a bit. I actually had to leave that place as it was no longer safe. But great memories there as well.

It's not the place that matters. It's what it means to you.
 
My first rental was in Reading, UK. About 20 meters from the front door to a picturesque section of the Thames, and less than 5 minutes walk to the train station. It was a two bedroom, top half of a terrace. I remember at the time being surprised that the only room in the house with carpet was the bathroom.

I think the rent was about 300 pound per week - at a time when a pound was worth about $3AUD. Probably would of been cheaper buying rather than renting but I was on short term contract and just in the country so had no chance of getting a loan.

Regards,

Jason
 
My first rental was in Reading, UK. About 20 meters from the front door to a picturesque section of the Thames, and less than 5 minutes walk to the train station. It was a two bedroom, top half of a terrace. I remember at the time being surprised that the only room in the house with carpet was the bathroom.

I think the rent was about 300 pound per week - at a time when a pound was worth about $3AUD. Probably would of been cheaper buying rather than renting but I was on short term contract and just in the country so had no chance of getting a loan.

Regards,

Jason

Haha mate, I'm from Reading Berkshire in the UK! Whenabouts was this? I was on Connaught Road - near Oxford road and Tilehurst road!
 
Well depends what you would call, first rental.

Work paid for my first place, 4 bedroom place in 2006. Cootamundra, NSW rent subsidised down to $100/week. Not bad, tho it was suppose to be a share house, nobody else was ever there.

First rental under my name was this horrid fibro house in San Isidore (Wagga Wagga), NSW. $240/week in 2008.

It had this huge line through the house, it had obviously been cut in half and brought over from somewhere else. It was FREAZING in winter, and SO hot in summer it managed to 'melt' the glue on the neck of my prized classical guitar. I spent more time at my friends house than at that crap hole. Wish I understood property better then, I now realise that place was a gold mine for the owners. They owned a few of houses in that street.

Let's just say, by 2012 I've WAY overcompensated.
 
First flat was in Dulwich Hill in 1975. This unit had no running hot water and instead had a gas water boiler that you used for the shower. There was no carpet but instead seagrass matting.

Rent was $20 pw and I was earning $54pw.

I was employed as a trainee computer operator using a NCR Century 200 running 3 partitions. The whole computer was the size of a large double garage with 128k of memory 4 tape to tape reels and 6 x 32mg removable disk drives.

For the first 6 months my main task was decolating and bursting the computer printouts.:D

Finally worked my way into actually operating the computer and finally programming and systems analysis (some years later).

Memories;)

Cheers

PS Address was 5 Constitution Rd Dulwich Hill - it still looks much the same except they have now concreted the front area, it used to be just dirt with massive pot holes.

Here is a pic of the block. This wasn't our unit we rented the one downstairs and at the front.

http://www.homehound.com.au/unit+6+5+constitution+road+dulwich+hill+nsw+2203/
 
I met a guy many years ago who told me I should stop living in the burbs and go rent near the beach. Sounded good at the time so rented out my house and moved to a tiny little unit right on the water - 180 degree views all the way to Bondi and down to Little Bay. My bed head had salt marks on it from the spray of the ocean coming through the flyscreens, my outdoor setting had to be thrown as it had rusted, as did my golf clubs in the garage and I had to fumigate all my stuff as the unit had the biggest infestation of cockroaches I had ever seen in my life. I couldn't even keep food in the fridge as they had taken over the entire kitchen. At night the sound of the crashing waves was sometimes taken over by the sound of scurrying cockroaches tap tap tapping in the kitchen as I tried to sleep. My skin crawls just thinking back to that 6 months living with my many co-tenants.
 
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