by Current UNSW Kensington student
, 3 weeks ago
Jacqueline and her beautiful family made the transition to Sydney a far smoother experience than what I could have hoped for. The granny flat was absolutely perfect for my needs as a studying-abroad undergraduate student. I lived here for the full duration of my stay in Sydney, or for 9 months from September 2025 to May 2026.
The flat itself is situated in a shaded, cozy garden with beautiful Blue Jacaranda trees. The back patio was a lovely space to study and relax. Though the center garden on the property is shared, Jacqueline made sure I knew I was welcome to have guests over to spend time in that space as long as I let her know in advance. While there was more than enough room for one person in the flat, my partner moved in with me in January and it has been perfect for the two of us. The bathroom is equipped with a very nice washer and there is a clothing line outside, as well as a foldable drying rack for inside the flat. The kitchenette has a double hot plate and nicely sized fridge. While the flat itself doesn't have an oven, Jacqueline was happy to accommodate my occasional requests to bake in her kitchen. She also provided the flat with more kitchen supplies upon finding out I enjoyed baking.
As for the location and neighborhood, the flat is about a 7-10 minute walk from two separate bus lines, which can take you to the beach or connecting buses when headed to Kensington campus. My bus ride to campus averages at between 40 minutes to an hour depending on the time of day. The closest beach is about a 30 minute bus ride. You can also take the bus to a very large nearby mall in about 20 minutes. The flat is right next door to an elementary school and is in close walking distance to a nice park. The neighborhood is very quiet and suburban, with many families and retired folks. Because of our close proximity to the Kellogg's factory, it will occasionally smell like sweet cereal when you open your windows and is very charming.
Jacqueline and her husband made sure I felt welcomed and had everything I needed. As an American student, Jacqueline was very open to my partner and I paying the rent on a monthly basis instead of a weekly one, as that is the norm back in the States. There were no extra expenses we were surprised with relating to the flat that wasn't previously disclosed in our paperwork. Jacqueline was happy to accommodate our lease to include my partner after he moved in. She also provided me with a move-in guide upon arrival in September, with lovely resources for the best local restaurants, bars, bus routes, grocery stores, etc.. This guide also provided the names and descriptions of the pets on the property, which I thought was the cutest. Her pets were very well behaved and quiet the whole duration of my stay. Jacqueline was very communicative in WhatsApp if I ever needed anything or had any questions. Her husband would occasionally let me borrow books from their library and even drove me to the airport at one point out of kindness. They both make a very lovely couple to lease from.
Thank you to Jacqueline and her family!
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