“The harder I work, the luckier I get.”
Gary Player
The rental market in Melbourne is the worst it has ever been, with vacancy rates dropping as low as one per cent early in 2008. So, you could say Bruce and Fran were lucky to have found – and moved into – furnished accommodation within ten days of arriving in Australia.
But, as with Gary Player (albeit with rather fewer medals or all black outfits to show for it), it may be that our hard work played its part (see here and here).
Having both visited Melbourne many years earlier and following extensive research online, we knew roughly which areas we would like to live more than a year before arriving. We also spent hours perusing real estate websites in the months before departing (probably too far in advance) so we knew what was available for what price and where. It meant we were able to set a budget, knowing how much (or indeed little) money we would have on arrival.
On arrival
We found a decent serviced apartment to stay in at first as they seemed a much better deal than hotels, ensuring it was close to the areas we were interested in and next to good public transport links. The pressure was on as, with the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix taking place 12 days after we landed, most accommodation was sold out well in advance or the prices were doubling – or more – over the race weekend.
In the end, we moved into a flat Bruce had spotted online while they were still in Thailand after our sole contacts in Melbourne agreed to attend the inspection for us. It has proved a good place to start and, with three months left on the contract, but both of us employed, we started looking for our next place: bigger, brighter and with a space for bbqs.
Prices
The current exchange rate with the British pound doesn’t help, but we’re paying more for a one-bedroom apartment than the mortgage on our three-bedroom house in England. There is no denying that in the cities especially, none more so than Melbourne and Sydney, property prices are sky high.
But, if you are willing to head further away from the main metropolitan areas, the amount you can get for your dollar increases almost exponentially. And, as far as we’re concerned, having left a middling city like Nottingham for one of the world’s most attractive and popular cities in Melbourne – and making the decision to live within easy reach of the city, in an area full of nightlife and the beach – we accept having to pay more for less.
Anyone who expects the best of both worlds – a far higher standard of living and cheaper living costs – needs to wake up to reality…
Below are links to various real estate and other accommodation websites:
From these websites, you can access a multitude of individual estate and letting agents’ own sites.
- Gumtree – this is an international “trading” site where people can post items for sale for free and has a reasonable section for property. Some people advertise homes for sale, others for lease, with a separate section for short term leases that could suit people arriving without a clear idea of where they want to be. It has different pages for different cities and states. Just follow the links down the right hand side
For many new arrivals, their first few days will be spent in serviced apartments or hotels.
- Quest – one of the biggest providers of serviced apartments in Australia
- Short Stays – another multi-city provider
- Rentahome
People coming to Melbourne have multiple choices of selection in serviced apartment rentals. One bedroom or two bedroom apartments along with all homely pleasures of living like fully equipped kitchens, full-furnished bedrooms, living rooms and dining areas and modern style bathrooms make your stay more pleasant. For more information visit us at : http://www.melbourneservicedapartments-cbd.com.au