It may take some time to find a place when you first move. If you have friends or family already in Australia, it's a good idea to ask if you can stay with them for a while. If you're on your own we recommend you budget for at least 2 weeks accomodation.
Whether you're looking to Buy, Rent or Flat, the most important thing is to make sure you look around at a range of properties. The competition can be fierce so it pays to keep your options open.
The rental market in Australia can be very competitive - especially in the main cities. If you're looking to rent it will help if you have the following documents prepared:
- Your last 3 months bank statements
- A written reference from your previous landlord
- Your previous landlord's contact information
- Proof that your last bond was repaid in full (or an explanation as to why it wasn't).
If you're looking to move into a large city, Internet advertisements are the best place to look. Don't bother looking at advertisements older than 14 days, they'll usually be relisted within this time if the properties are still available. We recommend the following websites:
- Domain: This site has a large number of listings including a selection listed by property agents.
- RealEstate.com.au: Good site with lots of listings and extra information about renting and purchasing property in Australia.
- Gumtree
If you're planning on moving into a more rural area, we recommend that you check out your local newspaper.
Bond and Rent in advance
It is normal for landlords to request between 2-4 weeks rent as bond and 2-4 weeks rent in advance. This means that you will need to be prepared to front up with somewhere between 4 and 8 weeks rent before moving into your new place. Your bond with be lodged with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) and returned to you minus the cost of any damages when you leave.
Don't forget: To help avoid disapointment, it's important to look at a large number of rental properties. Don't set all of your hopes on just one!
In Australia, Flatmates wanted is usually listed as 'Share house' or 'Sharemates wanted'. As with renting, competition can be fierce so make sure you look at a range of properties.
People looking for sharemates generally list their houses on the internet: it's easy and best of all it's free. Some good websites to check are:
Also look out for cafes and bookstores - many have hand written advertisements posted in their windows.
If you are planning on purchasing a house, we recommend you visit the sites listed above. Most of the houses are listed by Real Estate agents and their contact information is provided. Some of the major Real Estate Agencies in Australia include:
