Treens and Thomas never sought to be rental providers. Here is their story about letting their values decide when choosing a real estate agency.
Negative experiences with renting
During the many years they spent as renters, Treens and Thomas had experienced rooms without heat, doors without locks, and even live-in-rental providers who expected favours like childcare. They felt like they could be evicted on a whim, and as if they only had a home so that someone else could make a profit.
After finally saving up enough for a deposit, they were thrilled to move into their own small one-bedroom apartment, in Melbourne’s inner north-east. It came with friendly neighbours and the sense of stability they had been missing, “you don’t fully appreciate how valuable a safe, stable, living situation is until you have experienced life without one,” says Thomas.
But when they decided to have kids, they needed more space. Treens has a disability and would need family to stay to support when their baby arrived. They made an offer on a larger unit but couldn’t sell their home, and after many sleepless nights they realised they’d have to rent out their apartment and become rental providers, a role they never wanted to play. As Thomas says, “we were thrust into the position pretty unexpectedly and on a very short timeline. We had to quickly come to terms with what that meant to us.”
Finding a real estate agency with heart
They considered renting via a mainstream real estate agency but given their own experience as renters – and strong awareness of the housing, homelessness and cost of living crisis – they felt confronted by sales pitches which dwelled on the bottom line. That unease grew when they read through marketing materials promoting increasing rents faster than market averages and speedy eviction turnarounds. As Treens reflects, “the focus on turning a profit felt so at odds with everything we think a home should be and how it’s a basic human right.”
Things changed when an online search for ethical property management led them to HomeGround Real Estate, a social enterprise agency that provides premium property management services for property owners and renters in Melbourne, while reinvesting all profits back into Launch Housing.
During their first conversation with a HomeGround property manager, they knew they were in safe hands. They were relieved to find a full-service property management agency with values aligned to theirs which helps people experiencing homelessness, but they also felt fully supported and informed as they embarked on their first experience of renting out their home.
After discussing their options, they chose to offer rent 10% below market rate, “rather than asking, ‘what’s the maximum we could squeeze out of someone?’ we established the minimum rental income that would allow us to meet our financial needs,” says Thomas, aware that what was a small margin for them could make a big difference to someone else.
Their experience with HomeGround so far
Two years later and they haven’t looked back – and they also haven’t increased the rent. When the pair put themselves in the position of someone renting, given the rising cost of living, they felt like it would be the worst time for a rent hike.
“I trust the organisation to treat tenants as humans, and the property as someone’s home, rather than just an investment”.
Treens and Thomas say that they’d encourage anyone who is renting out a property to consider HomeGround – as Thomas puts it, “I trust the organisation to treat tenants as humans, and the property as someone’s home, rather than just an investment that someone inconveniently lives in. That means that I don’t have to worry about how our property is being managed. I don’t worry about it at all.”
Treens, agrees and is proud to tell people that they rent their apartment via HomeGround, “I think there are a lot of property owners struggling with the same questions we had but they might go along with a culture they don’t agree with… Joining HomeGround has allowed us to make an impact.”