If you're planning to move to Australia permanently and need a place to stay, here are some things you need to know before moving.
Here some points of major consideration when looking for a living space when you arrive in Australia:
1) Cost of accommodation (Big City vs Small City. CBD vs Outer suburbs. Short Term Rentals vs Shared Rentals)
2) Job availability and distance from work place - Assuming you don't have a job yet you will not really know which suburb or city you may get a job in, so it would be quite difficult to decide at the onset as to which suburb you will eventually live in. Besides whilst job hunting you may prefer to live close to the CBD where most of the offices are in order to save on transport costs.
3) Support system - If you have friends or family, it is but natural that you will (at least initially) live in the vicinity of this support group.
4) Means of Travel - Big cities have excellent public transport but if you were to move to a regional city like Townsville it becomes quite challenging without a car. Which also means that you need to apply for a licence within the first few months of landing.
5) Size of family and amount of luggage - Some may arrive singly and with just a suitcase whereas others will arrive as a family and be bringing all the household goods when arriving.
The biggest challenge by far when you are looking for your first rental will be that you do not have any rental history in Australia. Additionally, you may not have ample proof or residence (Australian Driver's Licence, Electricity Bill etc.) to meet the 100 point test.
Here is my suggestion:
MOVE INTO TEMPORARY RENTAL ACCOMMODATION
In most cases when you first arrive you will have to live in some form of temporary accommodation until you figure your next move or at least until you get some kind of short term rental (Unless you are lucky to be put up with a friend or a family member).
1) Rentality (www.rentality.com.au) - a online community that provides a range of temporary accommodation for rent. The great part of this arrangement is that you deal directly with the owner, you can book immediately, the rates are more affordable than short-term rentals and properties listed go through a rigorous validation process to ensure no fraudulent properties are listed.
Other similar sites are:
https://www.housetrip.com/
https://www.roomorama.com/
https://www.homeaway.com.au/
https://www.vrbo.com/
https://Wimdu.com.au/
https://www.airbnb.com/
2) Service apartments – This is the more expensive but easier option. Bookings can be made before you even arrive. When deciding on location, it is recommended that you select a place close to public transport and as close to city as possible to save on daily commuting costs to city.
3) Shared accommodation - A cheaper alternative, especially for single or couple migrants.
Depending on your circumstances, you might find it easier to apply to share accommodation, rather than renting a house or apartment on your own. Check out following websites:
Flatmates
Flatmate Finders
4) Rooms to rent are sometimes advertised on notice boards in local shops, post offices and libraries or on the following websites:
Gumtree
Craiglist
When looking for accommodation through Flatmates, Gumtree and Craiglist be careful of fraudulent listings. Do not ever pay upfront to the homeowner in order to secure a booking on Flatmates, Gumtree and Craiglist\. A lot of people have been cheated through this. Inspect the home first, meet the homeowner, then pay them (NEVER PAY IN CASH as there would be no evidence you paid the homeowner). If you aren't able to inspect the home, then I recommend using my recommendations in Point 1 and Point 2.
LONG TERM RENTAL
Once you are ready to look for a long-term rental you can check out the following top Property Websites in Australia:
Realestate
Domain
