Perth rentals

[Nat1982]

We are a family of 4 moving to Australia next year.... We were set on Perth but now hearing how difficult it is to find rentals. Is this correct? 

The plan is to come without the kids for first month, to find a home. Thought a month would be plenty of time.... can anyone advise if they have experienced something the same...

Then finding a home without a job would be another obstacle i suppose....

Any advice welcome

Thanks

[Marisawright]

If you had a good solid reason to choose Perth then I wouldn’t be switching cities just because of the rental situation. 

Different states have different cultures and different pros and cons so people who like Perth often hate Sydney, for instance. Plus house prices are very different so you’d want to research carefully so you’re not going from frying pan to fire

[Lavers]

You will probably have the same situation no matter which state you go to, but you will find something, you may just have to go over budget to get something.

We came last June to SA so competition wasn't as strong for rentals, we had no jobs but we just showed funds in our account which they were happy with.

Have a look at tenant options(I think) it's what real estate agents ask you to submit when applying for rentals, you have to get references etc, we used our airbnb host then we gave them the contact details for the estate agents that sold our house in the UK.

[ali]

You should be able to find a rental, some will be more competitive depending on the area

[Blue Flu]

Toughest market for many years. A rental in my street I was told went for well over the asking price which was already high by usual standards. This doesn't increase the quality of tenant unfortunately. 

I would not like to be in the market looking to rent right now. Be wary of dumps out there and bad neighbourhoods. 

[Paul1Perth]

What are you looking for from your move?

Would you like to be near the beach, near the City, in the hills?

Whilst beachside suburbs are highly desirable and rents competitive if you fancy that type of lifestyle it can really mean the difference to you settling and loving it to the other extreme where you feel as if you've moved to an outer suburb, with zero amenities, miles away from shops, pubs, cafes and hating it.

On the upside there are lots of people moving in and out of places like Scarborough which has a huge rental market, lots of new apartments and lots of established smaller properties that are a few years old. Lots of them have pools, shared barbeque areas and you'd be a stones throw from one of the nicest beaches and ocean front along the coast. Loads of restaurants, pubs, clubs, brilliant 50m outdoor pool, bike paths up and down the coast, shops nearby. You could walk to most things, parking can be a drama there anyway.

There may be more rentals avaialable when borders open. A lot of FIFO workers from over East stayed and rented rather than keep having to quarantine every time they flew in.

Good luck, we've been here since 92 and love it.

My son rents in Scarbs.

[Paul1Perth]

9 hours ago, Marisawright said:

If you had a good solid reason to choose Perth then I wouldn’t be switching cities just because of the rental situation. 

Different states have different cultures and different pros and cons so people who like Perth often hate Sydney, for instance. Plus house prices are very different so you’d want to research carefully so you’re not going from frying pan to fire

I've not really met many people from Perth who dislike Sydney, why would they? 

I love it and loved my work trips there. We've been on family holidays and we all like it. It's very busy, very expensive for houses in comparison with Perth but is a spectacular City.

[Marisawright]

1 hour ago, Paul1Perth said:

I've not really met many people from Perth who dislike Sydney, why would they? 

Sorry, badly expressed.  I meant that people who enjoy living permanently in Perth would probably not enjoy living in Sydney, and vice versa.  I know people in both situations.  People who enjoy Perth tend to find Sydney to frenetic, commuting times are too long, people are too materialistic and unfriendly.   People who love the Sydney lifestyle find Perth too quiet.  

[Blue Flu]

34 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Sorry, badly expressed.  I meant that people who enjoy living permanently in Perth would probably not enjoy living in Sydney, and vice versa.  I know people in both situations.  People who enjoy Perth tend to find Sydney to frenetic, commuting times are too long, people are too materialistic and unfriendly.   People who love the Sydney lifestyle find Perth too quiet.  

Fair comment. Perth has though over time built up a lot of negatives in the social area. An increasingly amount of Perthites are less than in awe, shall we say, to what it has become. 

[Nat1982]

6 hours ago, Paul1Perth said:

What are you looking for from your move?

Would you like to be near the beach, near the City, in the hills?

Whilst beachside suburbs are highly desirable and rents competitive if you fancy that type of lifestyle it can really mean the difference to you settling and loving it to the other extreme where you feel as if you've moved to an outer suburb, with zero amenities, miles away from shops, pubs, cafes and hating it.

On the upside there are lots of people moving in and out of places like Scarborough which has a huge rental market, lots of new apartments and lots of established smaller properties that are a few years old. Lots of them have pools, shared barbeque areas and you'd be a stones throw from one of the nicest beaches and ocean front along the coast. Loads of restaurants, pubs, clubs, brilliant 50m outdoor pool, bike paths up and down the coast, shops nearby. You could walk to most things, parking can be a drama there anyway.

There may be more rentals avaialable when borders open. A lot of FIFO workers from over East stayed and rented rather than keep having to quarantine every time they flew in.

Good luck, we've been here since 92 and love it.

My son rents in Scarbs.

We currently reside on a small spanish island..... we have basically outgrown it and are ready to explore more. We dont need to be on the coast.... we have been for 12 years. Wouldnt want to be more than a 20/30 min drive though. We enjoy the out doors, love to hike. We dont need to be close to the city.

Just itching now to come have a look .

Ive also been looking up Bunbury and Busselton too..... both look like lovely areas too.

 

[Marisawright]

7 hours ago, Nat1982 said:

We currently reside on a small spanish island..... we have basically outgrown it and are ready to explore more.

I have to wonder why you've chosen Perth, then?   If it's because of the shorter flights from Perth to some Asian countries, fair enough.  However, if your goal is to explore Australia, it's the worst possible base, because flights from there to the rest of Australia are so expensive (because they're longer) and land travel isn't practical - it's a three day drive/bus/train.

What visa do you have?

[Blue Flu]

9 hours ago, Nat1982 said:

We currently reside on a small spanish island..... we have basically outgrown it and are ready to explore more. We dont need to be on the coast.... we have been for 12 years. Wouldnt want to be more than a 20/30 min drive though. We enjoy the out doors, love to hike. We dont need to be close to the city.

Just itching now to come have a look .

Ive also been looking up Bunbury and Busselton too..... both look like lovely areas too.

 

Swap places with you then. We've been looking at Spanish islands as well as mainland just this week. Corfu was preferable but Greek monetary requirements  seem to be considerable as well as a few other issues. Spanish language easier as well. 

Besides Spain is so diverse in regional variations and/or you wonderful Portugal next door, which was always my first choice , at least over Spain, but know it better. To swap all those possibilities for WA , well I don't know. But I' fully understand the 'attractiveness' of far off locations may well appear. 

I may be on my own here, but love walking but don't find WA especially good for that compared to the walks in UK or indeed Spain. Besides WA is very auto centric, with among the highest car ownership per population in the world. Walking is not 'natural' here as the promanade is in Iberia. 

I know Bunbury well, going there often and lived there for a time as a kid. (not as rough as back then, some very nice area in Marsden Hill , but at a hefty price) ) Did look at houses there several years ago, when they were still good value. Still enjoy day visits there and the occasional over nighter, but would not live there or Busselton, (small and outside beach limited) and afraid a lot of drug issues in those parts, which contribute to social issues and the like.  

Edited October 17, 2021 by Blue Flu

[Blue Flu]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

I have to wonder why you've chosen Perth, then?   If it's because of the shorter flights from Perth to some Asian countries, fair enough.  However, if your goal is to explore Australia, it's the worst possible base, because flights from there to the rest of Australia are so expensive (because they're longer) and land travel isn't practical - it's a three day drive/bus/train.

What visa do you have?

Definately not the best to explore the country. A costly base from where to fly or indeed drive to adventurous locations. But good for Asia when that opens and the South Coast has attractions even if a bit 'old hat' after awhile. Not even cheap anymore. 

[Paul1Perth]

12 hours ago, Nat1982 said:

We currently reside on a small spanish island..... we have basically outgrown it and are ready to explore more. We dont need to be on the coast.... we have been for 12 years. Wouldnt want to be more than a 20/30 min drive though. We enjoy the out doors, love to hike. We dont need to be close to the city.

Just itching now to come have a look .

Ive also been looking up Bunbury and Busselton too..... both look like lovely areas too.

 

Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River, Augusta, Denmark and lots more down South are fabulous. You can feel a bit like you do on your small Spanish Island though and "outgrow" the area. 

Perth and Fremantle are nice places to visit, have things like international bands, top notch sports, artistic events, a massive casino and hotel complex, horse racing, dog track, great cricket and soccer grounds with good teams. Public transport is good.

We are about 30km North of Perth, 10 minutes walk to the beach and feel we have the best of both worlds.

[Blue Flu]

I find Perth and Fremantle (just back from the former) of limited interest in the day and not too sound at night. We have a substantial homeless problem, and the drug meth (ice) is everywhere. ( very much including down south in places like Bunbury and Albany and Mandurah)Why do I get a little reminder of Essex when in the centre I wonder? 

Little in reality to warrant to much time in the city. A lot more time spent at home.  

You won't get the life of Spain. The people going out in the evenings (is this still relevant with corona?) 

Transport is good all things considered , in number of clients if going to city or major centres. A car is necessarily between suburbs as a rule.

 

Edited October 18, 2021 by Blue Flu

[HappyHeart]

On 16/10/2021 at 20:47, Nat1982 said:

We are a family of 4 moving to Australia next year.... We were set on Perth but now hearing how difficult it is to find rentals. Is this correct? 

The plan is to come without the kids for first month, to find a home. Thought a month would be plenty of time.... can anyone advise if they have experienced something the same...

Then finding a home without a job would be another obstacle i suppose....

Any advice welcome

Thanks

Finding rentals is very tough right now. Social media is full of posts from people experiencing impending homelessness. If you can put up a large amount upfront and pay over the asking price you stand a much better chance. Prices have rocketed over the past year. Many people have applied for dozens of places and been knocked back. 

In the South West the situation is even more dire. There is literally no accomodation available. This has led to staff shortages in local business and hospitality. The jobs are there but nowhere for people to live. 

If it were me I’d probably wait 6 months. Things will look very different then with opening borders.

If exploration is the goal agree with others who say Perth may not be your best base. I guess it depends on your definition of exploring. I’ve lived here for 12 years plus and still not seen half of what we want to. Work tends to get in the way. If given the choice and you like a quiet relaxed life, go South. Further than Bunbury and probably Busselton. Think Margaret River, Augusta, Denmark, Albany,  20 mins from coast will still be cheaper than Perth down South too. 

[Parley]

Melbourne is the cheapest capital city to rent in. You could change your destination and come to Victoria instead.

[Blue Flu]

HH is quite correct rentals are very hard to come by. A real happy time for the antics of property agents. Another thing a few have vacated in my area, only to be replaced by the 'same sort' of bod's performing similar activity. What can one say? Besides a sad state of affairs to say the least. 

Nothing cheap about regional centres like Albany either. Those houses that appear 'cheap' ,are in very dodgy areas where a lot of anti social activity potentially takes place.  Not sure just how relaxed it is down there these days. 

Other places like Denmark and Augusta are very small . Denmark has a bit of an arty vibe but limited, but may well suit some obviously. 

[Blue Flu]

1 minute ago, Parley said:

Melbourne is the cheapest capital city to rent in. You could change your destination and come to Victoria instead.

It is for now but when borders open that will reverse. Loads of Vic number plates around me. Have them next door in fact. Don't play by the rules though, could be a way of putting it.

[Paul1Perth]

On 17/10/2021 at 16:10, Marisawright said:

Sorry, badly expressed.  I meant that people who enjoy living permanently in Perth would probably not enjoy living in Sydney, and vice versa.  I know people in both situations.  People who enjoy Perth tend to find Sydney to frenetic, commuting times are too long, people are too materialistic and unfriendly.   People who love the Sydney lifestyle find Perth too quiet.  

To have a like for like lifestyle would be out of reach for most Perth people. An equivalent property for us would be something like a 4x2 with a garden, on a quite street 5 minutes walk to Manly beach. God knows how much that would cost.

Sydney is busy and frenetic too. When we had a family holiday there our youngster with autism was very quite, unlike him. We had been there a few days and went a walk through the botanic gardens, he was his usual chatty self and said the crowds, noise, traffic made him feel stressed. He loved the peace of the gardens.

Edited October 18, 2021 by Paul1Perth

[Paul1Perth]

5 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

I find Perth and Fremantle (just back from the former) of limited interest in the day and not too sound at night. We have a substantial homeless problem, and the drug meth (ice) is everywhere. ( very much including down south in places like Bunbury and Albany and Mandurah)Why do I get a little reminder of Essex when in the centre I wonder? 

Little in reality to warrant to much time in the city. A lot more time spent at home.  

You won't get the life of Spain. The people going out in the evenings (is this still relevant with corona?) 

Transport is good all things considered , in number of clients if going to city or major centres. A car is necessarily between suburbs as a rule.

 

I've never known anyone go on about or seemingly affected by the drug problem as you BF. 

What do you mean you don't get people going out in the evenings? Of course you do, Freo and Perth are lively places in the evenings and if you get up enough courage to venture up and down the coast road, say City Beach through Scarbs and Trigg as far as Hillary's there's people out running, biking, walking, pubbing, going to retaurants with nary a drug addict or homeless person in sight.

Depending what Spanish Island they're on they may be overrun by refugees mate. There's a real problem for the whole of Europe that's only going to get worse.

Edited October 18, 2021 by Paul1Perth

[Blue Flu]

42 minutes ago, Paul1Perth said:

I've never known anyone go on about or seemingly affected by the drug problem as you BF. 

What do you mean you don't get people going out in the evenings? Of course you do, Freo and Perth are lively places in the evenings and if you get up enough courage to venture up and down the coast road, say City Beach through Scarbs and Trigg as far as Hillary's there's people out running, biking, walking, pubbing, going to retaurants with nary a drug addict or homeless person in sight.

Depending what Spanish Island they're on they may be overrun by refugees mate. There's a real problem for the whole of Europe that's only going to get worse.

Perhaps because you and others are not aware of the extent of it? I was in ignorance until it moved next door to me. You can believe me or not, but it is everywhere at least in the inner city, and real estate tell me most places. It remains very much so , if under cover and well concealed now. All agers doing it. Middle aged, professional class prominent around me and are fully versed in protecting themselves  from sanction. Again I do not speak necessary of drug addicts. Although meth users are plentiful in the city and Fremantle as may be expected in one of the world's top places for useage. Check it out if interested , altogether more than a little horrifying what is going down.  But it is a disgrace especially that so little can be done to reign it in. Enough said on that, but a real blight on Perth.

People do not go out in the evenings as they do in Spain/Portugal/Greece.  I trust you are not going to suggest otherwise in the sense that it is similar? I live inner city and nothing close at all. Obviously we have a few areas where people congregate, but few for a city of this size. I'm well aware of of runners etc, but not what I refer to. 

Well being a Spanish island, perhaps not. I'm sure that would have been stated. 

Edited October 18, 2021 by Blue Flu

[calNgary]

1 hour ago, Blue Flu said:

Perhaps because you and others are not aware of the extent of it? I was in ignorance until it moved next door to me. You can believe me or not, but it is everywhere at least in the inner city, and real estate tell me most places. It remains very much so , if under cover and well concealed now. All agers doing it. Middle aged, professional class prominent around me and are fully versed in protecting themselves  from sanction. Again I do not speak necessary of drug addicts. Although meth users are plentiful in the city and Fremantle as may be expected in one of the world's top places for useage. Check it out if interested , altogether more than a little horrifying what is going down.  But it is a disgrace especially that so little can be done to reign it in. Enough said on that, but a real blight on Perth.

 

To be fair many cities across the world have the exact same problem, you only need to keep reading the media and you would see that, but heh lets not take the OPs thread off track, there are plenty of threads about Perth already turned negative with the same comments should the OP wish to go and read.

  Cal x

[MacGyver]

5 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

You can believe me or not, but it is everywhere at least in the inner city, and real estate tell me most places. It remains very much so , if under cover and well concealed now.

If its undercover and well concealed, it’s hard to see how it can also be a blight on the city that is visible everywhere. As I’ve said before, your experiences of Perth are the polar opposite of mine. I appreciate you’re unhappy in Perth, but a more balanced view might be more informative for the OP - the bad AND the good so they can make an informed decision.

To the OP’s original question - the rental market is tough at the moment but not impossible. Houses with a garden seem to be most in demand and there are more opportunities in apartments and townhouses nearer the city. In normal times I’d say 4 weeks in an Airbnb would be plenty if you’re organised, but in the current climate I would personally book an Airbnb for at least 6-8 weeks so you can explore areas and put in lots of rental applications. I’d be tempted to look for a central apartment or townhouse initially as there will be less competition, then you are well placed to discover the city and surrounds. After 12 months you’ll have a solid rental history and be better placed to look for something bigger/longer term.

There are some nice walks in the hills around Perth, but no mountains like you get on the east coast or back in the uk. For a similar experience you’d have to drive to the southwest (4hours drive) but some embrace the change in scenery and enjoy bushwalking instead.

Busselton and Denmark etc are very nice small towns and Busselton in particular is an area of current and future growth. Personally I’d start at the city and explore WA as the southwest is a big change in lifestyle. 

If you prefer “exploring” different cities for weekend breaks it’s doable from Perth, but much easier and more accessible from an east coast city. Perth seems to be a love it or hate it sort of place and only you will know which camp you fall into. My experience of Perth is that it’s laidback, full of opportunity and has what I’d consider a nice climate (hot and dry summers, ‘cold’ and wet winters, warm and generally dry spring and autumn). The lifestyle is more focussed on going a walk or a cycle, going to the park or the beach, having a bbq etc. The city is getting better for cafes and bars but it’ll never be Melbourne or Sydney (or Glasgow or Manchester for that matter).

It all depends what you’re looking for but take every post (including my own) with a pinch of salt, Perth has good and bad like everywhere else does - some of us enjoy it, some of us don’t. It’s certainly not perfect and like everywhere else, the thing that’s best about it is the thing that’s worst about it, depending on your perspective. For some its blissfully quiet and laidback with amazing beaches everywhere, for others it’s horrendously quiet and laidback with boring beaches everywhere etc. 

[Nat1982]

18 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I have to wonder why you've chosen Perth, then?   If it's because of the shorter flights from Perth to some Asian countries, fair enough.  However, if your goal is to explore Australia, it's the worst possible base, because flights from there to the rest of Australia are so expensive (because they're longer) and land travel isn't practical - it's a three day drive/bus/train.

What visa do you have?

Im an Ausralian citizen by descent and the rest of family on family visa. 

The island we live on is tiny, north to south is like 70km, you couold drive complete island in couple of hours, population 180,000... its basically a volcanic rock surrounded by sea. We have hills, volcanos which we have loved to explore. The beaches are lovely too.

But, we want to see some green grass and trees..rivers, lakes, wildlife, etc... Last year here, we had torrentual rain for a few weeks, it was the first time in 12 years we´ve seen some green and flowers on the hills, it was spectacular!!

Im not worried about taking flights to east coast or anywhere to be honest.... If i can manage here for aslong as i have??....... then Perth and surroundings excites me heaps!!