fastest way to find short term homestay? [Sydney]

voloyo · #1 (**permalink**) 07-12-2015, 10:37 PM

Hi, I am new here

I am a German student and am having trouble finding a short term accomodation in Sydney for August, my budget being $300 per week.

I have taken a look at sydneyhomestay, wimdu, airbnb, share-accomodation, ozhomestay, flatmates and others.

Most pages are just not good (forced payment of any kind before you can do/see anything), many offers are middle/long term + deposit only and a lot of suitable offers are "female only". (Are men in Australia such pigs? Are many homestay providers rapists?)

So far, only 1 out of 100+ people I messaged have responded. Only 2 contacted me and they are not suitable (extremely remote, bad English and weird questions).

What am I doing wrong? I offered to pay weekly upfront, is that bad? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

update: Just started receiving scam mails (according to google because I signed up on share-accomodation). It seems very real, but the pictures have watermarks and the person asked for my ID.

Blue Bottle Tours · #2 (**permalink**) 07-14-2015, 12:08 AM

Hi
I am listed on Air B n B - I have a house near the beach on the northern beaches of sydney and have only had 2 enquiries and Stays (i'm at Dee Why) - where are you looking? - its a single room?
Are you sure you have searched all the Air B N B listings - this is disappointing for you and me?
when do you want to stay?

S

voloyo · #3 (**permalink**) 07-14-2015, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Bottle Tours

Hi
I am listed on Air B n B - I have a house near the beach on the northern beaches of sydney and have only had 2 enquiries and Stays (i'm at Dee Why) - where are you looking? - its a single room?
Are you sure you have searched all the Air B N B listings - this is disappointing for you and me?
when do you want to stay?

S

Thanks for your response, unfortunately Dee Why is too far away.

(not necessarily from one particular location, just in general)

I still have not had any success. The very few people I get to talk to are extremely uncooperative or creepy.

Unbelievable.

I still can't get over the fact that 41 out of 163 hosts on homestay()com only accept females. (and similar ratio on every other site)

JandE · #4 (**permalink**) 07-18-2015, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voloyo

a lot of suitable offers are "female only". (Are men in Australia such pigs? Are many homestay providers rapists?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by voloyo

I still can't get over the fact that 41 out of 163 hosts on homestay()com only accept females. (and similar ratio on every other site)

When we did homestays (in Brisbane) my wife insisted on only females.
Reason being that females are generally nicer to get along with.

But also having a young daughter we were worried about foreign men.
I also didn't want a foreign man there, Not sure what they might be like... You know what I am saying ..

It's not really black and white is it...