Slim pickings

Literally NOTHING has come onto the market this week for me to look at on Saturday.

Meanwhile, I am getting endless calls from real estate agents wanting to know if I am interested in the slim pickings that I inspected last weekend.

They have been getting quite uppity when I tell them I’m not interested. I suspect that’s because while there’s not much stock on the market there also aren’t many buyers.

One agent tried to scare me with tales of empty-handed buyers and told me about a couple who’ve been trying to find a place for months. Yeah, nah, you’re not going to talk me into a place on a busy road up two flights of stairs.

Another agent kept demanding feedback on why I didn’t like the ugly, badly built, over-priced unit she was spruiking. I didn’t want to tell her it was ugly and badly built and over-priced as I felt that was rude. I just kept firmly repeating that it didn’t appeal to me.

I haven’t heard a peep out of the real estate agent with the fancy penthouse that made me drool, but I thought he was pretty lacklustre. He didn’t even know about half the facilities the building offered that I knew about because I’d done my research. Actually, I’m not sure he even took my details. Slack!

My boss has warned me to ensure apartment buildings are not only pet friendly but let you have more than one. Apparently he knows people who’ve had to give away furry family members because they didn’t check the fine print.

The fur babies do complicate things. If I can’t find something to buy they would make renting very tough during the current housing crisis.

Hundreds of animals have been surrendered in Victoria to the RSPCA because their renting owners were moving into non pet-friendly accommodation. Likewise, the RSPCA in South Australia said in June this year that one in five pets given over to their shelter has come from tenants who were not allowed an animal in their rental.

Channel 7 reports that animal welfare groups are calling on the federal government to introduce a national law protecting renters with pets, as more and more pet owners are forced to make the harrowing decision between surrendering their furry friends or putting a roof over their heads.

“People are turning up with broken hearts”, the RSPCA South Australia spokesperson, Carolyn Jones told The Guardian.

“There is a lot of distress at our surrenders desk. And it’s distressing for the animals because they have loving homes then all of a sudden they go into a shelter environment and they don’t understand what’s happened.”

A few people have suggested I find a new owner for my dogs to make life easier. That’s not going to happen. They are family. You don’t get rid of family if you have a choice.

My priority is to make sure I have a choice. my heart breaks for anyone who doesn’t have that luxury.

Fortunately I still have almost six weeks to find my dream, pet-friendly property as I have a 12 week settlement. No need to panic just yet.

Song of the day: Imagine Dragons “Zero”