What you need to know about home opens

Finding your next rental property can be a stressful process, especially when you are trying to get a sense of if you can see yourself living in a property.

Home opens are a common way to help you get an understanding if the property is right for you.

Locking in a viewing

On reiwa.com, we have thousands of rental properties across Western Australia for you to choose from. Once you find a property you like, you can find out if you love it, by booking into a home open using the 'Book Inspection' button on the property advertisement page.

Once you have booked a viewing, you will receive SMS and email confirmations with the property manager's details, directions to the rental and other useful information.

Additionally, you'll receive a reminder email or SMS on the day of the viewing, as well as notifications of any changes to the property's vacancy or the home open time. So you will always be up-to-date.

If you're unable to attend a home open, Home Open Manager also allows you to cancel your booking at the click of a button within the initial confirmation email or by using an SMS cancel code.

Request an open time

If the rental you are interested in on reiwa.com does not have a scheduled home open time, you can easily request a viewing using the 'Email Agent' button on the property details page. Simply complete the email form and our system will connect you directly to the agent.

If the property is available to view, you will receive a notification to confirm your booking or to suggest another appropriate viewing time.

Inspecting a rental before applying

When it comes to assessing the condition of the property, it is always a good idea to take a checklist of the key features you are wanting. Some items that might make your list include;

• Entry way - is the front of the house enclosed or open? Is it secure and can people access the entry way easily?
• Parking - is it fully enclosed and available for those living at the property and is there space for visitors?
• Public transport - is the path to the closest public transport easily accessible and on a sealed pathway?
• Airconditioning and heating - does it operate on gas or electricity? Does it service all the rooms or only certain ones
• Kitchen - is it big enough and have enough storage and bench space? What appliances come with the rental (such as dishwasher)?
• Bathroom - how many bathrooms are there? Are you happy with just a shower or would like a bath tub? If so, it is a decent size?
• Property condition - is it well maintained such as the lights working, taps working, no pests and garden maintained
• Furniture - is the property furnished and if so, is it in good condition? Will your own furniture fit or will you need to buy new items?

Need the ultimate organisation tool to help plan your all home opens? Read more about our home open planner that is available on the reiwa.com app.