Renting in Australia – Considerations

Consider your needs when deciding whether to rent a house with a garden or a small apartment with only a balcony. Moving house is hard work and can be quite expensive so you don’t want to have to move again too soon just because you didn’t consider your child would eventually need a backyard that can fit a trampoline! Try and get it right first time around- do your research before you start looking. Where do you want to live? Near a park, a beach, close to work or near the airport? Do you need a garden? How long will it take you to get to work? Are you close to a train station or bus stop? Is there a school nearby for your children? Is the local park dog-friendly? How far away are the shops? What is the climate like? Do you need heating and air conditioning? Basically, work out what you cannot live without, what you need to have close by, what type of accommodation you require, and go from there.

Once you’ve narrowed down your search by location and housing needs, start searching! Looking on the internet is the most common and effective way to see up to date information, but you can also go to local real estate agencies in the area you want to live and enquire with them directly about their rental properties. Often, if a property is vacant, they can provide you with a key to inspect the property on the spot.