I'm currently looking for a 1 bedroom apartment in Melbourne and it seems to me like there's a lot of places currently up for rent, having seen prices drop a fair bit as well as seeing apartments stuck on the market for months at a time. I am very keen to negotiate a lower rent and it feels like a good time to do that however am not really sure what the best tactic is.
Should I try to get an application approved and then negotiate down, or call the agent before applying to see if they're receptive to a reduction in order to lease the property? Or is there another way people have found success bargaining rent lower?
I'm also a freelancer with a flawless 10 year rental history (no bond claims or late rent) so no real impediments there.
Just offer under