The first thing you need to do is decide whether you are going to rent an entire property or share one with other renters. It could be that you just want to rent a bedroom in a share house. If so, your first port of call should be you local property listings. There are usually hundreds available scattered across many different suburbs. To rent a single room of a house you will have to sign a legal document. There shouldn’t be too many hefty clauses on a lease for a bedroom in a share house so you should be free to move on quickly if you don’t like the place.

However if you are looking to rent a house or an apartment you should start looking at a local real estate agency. You can start your search online to get an idea of what’s available in your desired location. The internet is a good place to do research and find out what types of properties are available to rent and at what price. When you visit the local real estate agencies they will present you with a list of suitable properties to rent. You will then select some properties and the estate agent will take you to view them. They might start you off with some less desirable properties so that you are bowled over with delight when you see a good one. This is an old real estate agent trick.

If you do find a property that you would like to rent then your next step will be to make an offer. You must have good references from previous landlords and a good credit file to be successful with your application. If you get a bad reference or if your credit history indicates that you might not pay your rent on time, then you are likely to have your application rejected. If you are lucky enough to be approved as a tenant then you will have to sign a lease. Leases on most residential properties last for less than one year. Be aware that you need to see out the term of your lease or you might have to find a substitute tenant. You should read through the entire lease before signing it to make sure there are no unfavourable clauses.

If you are happy with the lease then you can go ahead and sign it if you want to live in the property. You will then have to pay your first months rent and most likely another months’ rent as a deposit bond. After you have settled these transactions you will get the key. Be sure to take care of the property as you will be responsible for paying for any repairs and maintenance that arise if you break anything. Any repairs you refuse to pay for might be taken out of your security deposit, so be sure to treat the property as if you own it.

Virtual tours can let people visit your home from theirs or their workplace. They can take a full look around and get a general feel of how your house looks like. With the possibility of 360 degree views, it’s one of the most useful tools that one can promote their house with. Many properties were sold fast thanks to high quality virtual tours. A classic tool which can’t be missing from any real estate presentation. Online photo sharing and storage creates the possibility of easily reaching a previously unthinkably large audience.

One big advantage of the Internet is that it’s available nonstop. While you and your agent can only organize showing and answer their phones in a limited period, often excluding weekends, your online presentations are always there. Many people are extremely busy during the week and do all their research at on Saturday and Sunday. If you can supply them with high quality information and pre-convince them online, you’re going to experience very fast responses and closing.

Instead of just having a phone or a pager, potential buyers can contact your agent by e-mail and instant messaging as well. With various services that route all others to a cellphone, communication is easier than ever. Your real estate agent can gather the e-mail addresses of people who are looking for a specific type of property or in a certain location, and can automatically alert them when one is listed that meets their criteria. This means an instant potential buyer base in the very moment you decide to sell your property.

With the advent of online video sharing services such as YouTube, you can film and publish a professionally edited video walkthrough through your home. If you’re using a true real estate agent who cares about his/her clients, he/she should be able to provide video marketing of your property. Social networking sites didn’t only help people to find long forgotten high school classmates, but have transformed many businesses and become a vital place for marketing. Not only your agent can join groups based on real estate investing in all the specific regions, but he can place ads on highly visible places where potential buyers spend a lot of time every single day.

Video, descriptions, virtual tools, stats, floor plans, surveys, legal status and everything can be inserted into an interactive ad such as Google Gadget Ads. While it’s still something quite cutting edge, ads like this will be placed all over in the future. An interactive gadget ad can be displayed on multiple websites, including social networking, classifieds and even virtual TV shows. The possibilities are endless and it’s clear that a successful realtor will be somebody who’s able to stay on top of technological advances online…