Renting Accommodation in Australia
Once your migration visa has been granted you need to start thinking about accommodation on arrival in Australia. It’s great if you have friends or relatives with whom you can stay but what if you don’t?
Initially you might want to consider renting accommodation in Australia. This is pretty common in Australia and most real estate agents will have lists of property for rental purposes. Just like in the UK, there are also rental properties advertised in the major newspapers. You can usually rent for 6 or 12 months and this should be enough time for you to check out the area, schools, job opportunities and find somewhere suitable to buy in the long term.
Having found a property to rent in Australia, you will be asked to sign a tenancy agreement and pay a bond, usually 4 weeks rent in advance. This is very similar to the rental market in the UK. In Australia the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) sets out the terms and agreements for renting and both parties have rights and protections.
Most properties are rented unfurnished but there are companies in Australia
who will rent out furniture and electrical goods such as fridges, washing
machines etc. if you don’t want to buy at this stage.
Buying Property in Australia
Buying a property in Australia is much the same as it is in the UK except that property for sale is open for general viewing, usually at the weekend. This allows you to view several properties on the same day and have a good look round to compare what is available. Again, local real estate agents and newspapers would be the starting point for your search.
A popular way of buying and selling property in Australia is by auction but you can also buy and sell through a real estate agent, as in the UK, or by private sale. Just as in the UK most lenders like to see that you are credit worthy and a ‘good risk’ financially. As you will have no ‘credit history’ in Australia, it could be helpful to take evidence of any mortgage arrangements you had in the UK.
As a first time buyer you could be eligible for a $7,000 grant. As in the UK, there are many additional costs involved in a house purchase, such as stamp duty, rates, valuation fees, legal fees, insurance and payment of deposit. You must factor in these extra costs when considering whether you can afford your chosen property.
Some useful websites: -
www.treasury.gov.au (see Foreign
Investment Review Board)
www.reia.com.au
www.propertypursuit.com.au
www.buyersolutions.com.au
www.sacentral.sa.gov.au
www.southaustralia.com
www.yellowpages.com.au
www.housingtrust.sa.gov.au
www.property.com.au
www.domain.com.au
www.wotif.com.au
www.lastminute.com.au
www.punthill-apartments.com.au
Essential Information |
Permanent Visa Information |
Temporary Visa Information |