Finding accommodation in Australia

Finding accommodation when you first arrive can be a job in itself. Australian cities offer a wide range of housing options. The most common three are a single house on a block of land in the suburbs, a flat in a high-rise block in the inner city, and a house on a large block of land in a rural area. Most people live out in the suburbs. It is ideal to live close to where you work as long travelling times can become draining on an individual.

The price of housing varies a lot between cities and within each city. Below are tables of the median house prices and weekly rents in the major citiies of Australia:

Major city median house prices

Major city median weekly rents – 3 bedroom houses

Renting a property

It is more cost effective to rent a house or flatshare when you first arrive in Australia. A common approach to finding accommodation is purchasing a copy of the Saturday’s local newspaper such as the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’, ‘The Melbourne Age’ or the ‘Courier mail’. All of these newspapers advertise lists of available properties to rent and flats to share. Real estate agencies can also be a good source for finding accommodation in a particular area. Members of staff will assist you find, inspect and decide on a suitable property. There is a strong demand for properties so you must move quickly and have a deposit and references ready to secure a place. Make sure you find out if the property you are going to rent is furnished or whether you will have to provide any or some of your own.

You will be required to pay rent in advance. The first payment will include a bond that is refundable at the end of the rental. If you have doubts or concerns about a lease, seek legal advice before signing the contract. As a tenant you have rights and obligations. You can find out more information on rights and obligations that apply in each state or territory from the government website in your state.

Some useful websites are as follows:

• Real Estate Australia
• Domain
• The Gumtree
• Flatmate Finders
  
  

Temporary accommodation on arrival

If you have not organised somewhere to stay, you can do so at the airport.  The cost and quality can vary greatly.  Some accommodation places will provide a transfer for you.  Seek help from staff at the arrivals information desk.

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