Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.

Rental market eases further

Posted:
News

are rents going down or upRising vacancy rates are taking pressure off rents.

Figures from SQM Research show the national residential vacancy rate rose in November, up to 2.5% from 2.3% in October. The vacancy rate saw its largest rise in Brisbane, up from 3% in October to 3.3% in November.

According to SQM Research, vacancies also edged up in Sydney and Melbourne. Sydney’s vacancy rate rose from 1.7% to 1.9%, while Melbourne’s rose from 1.9% to 2.1%.

Though Sydney remains the nation’s most expensive rental market with a median asking rent of $736 a week for houses and $509 a week for units, SQM Research said the rising vacancy rate was taking pressure off rents. Asking rents for Sydney houses fell 0.4% for the month, while unit asking rents were down 0.3%.

Hobart and Canberra remained the nation’s tightest rental markets. While vacancies rose slightly in Canberra, they still sit at just 1.2%. Vacancies edged up marginally in Hobart as well, from 0.5% to 0.6%.

In spite of its tight rental market, Hobart remains the most affordable capital city for house rentals, with the median asking rent for houses at $352.10. Adelaide was the most affordable capital for units, with a median asking rent of $287.80.

On a year-on-year basis, asking rents were up across all capital cities with the exception of Perth and Darwin, and houses in Brisbane. Perth has seen the most pronounced declines, with asking rents for houses down 11.7% and asking rents for units down 10.7%.

Latest home loans headlines

Image: Shutterstock

Find the right home loan now

Ask an Expert

You are about to post a question on finder.com.au:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com.au is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy and 6. Finder Group Privacy & Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Go to site