If you’re trying to rent anywhere in Australia at the moment then you are facing an incredibly competitive market, and a situation some have called a “rental crisis” making it difficult to secure somewhere to live.

The situation will improve, and the Victoria Government is working on Build-to-Rent projects and similar schemes to provide more accommodation. They have already outlawed “rental bidding” where landlords would invite offers over a minimum rental price to spark a bidding war.

So many people are in a critical situation with housing and the local authorities are taking action. For now, if you want to improve your chances of winning a rental in a very crowded market, follow these tips you can follow to put you in the best possible position to win the rental you’re hoping for.

1. Be The First to Apply

A lot of the real estate sites out there allow you to set up alerts. If they have an app, you may be able to set up push notifications when a new property is added that meets your criteria. Sites like realestate.com.au allow you to set up email alerts.

For a landlord, every day the property isn’t filled is a day when they are losing money, and in such a competitive space, don’t expect the properties to stay on the market for long. Be ready to apply whenever a suitable place comes on the market.