Moving Down Under

Accommodation

We recommend trialling a variety of suburbs before locking yourself into a rental agreement. AirBnB is a popular option as it’s economical and you can trial a few places quickly. For your first week, we recommend making things as easy as possible and choosing a location close to the office. Once you start with us you can chat to the team about where to try next. There’s also another great site to try called Flatmates.

If you’re coming to Australia with your family, you may prefer to book a serviced apartment. These can be expensive but if you go a bit further out of the city you’ll find it’s much more economical. However, be sure to stay close to a train line or an easy bus route. You can try Booking.com or Unique Short Stays to see what’s available. If you were thinking of trying to get ahead and liaising with real estate agents whilst you’re abroad, you may not have much luck as properties are in high demand and agents are generally not open to the idea. Your best option is either wait until you arrive, or get the help of a friend if possible.

Pro tip from us, if you have a family, come alone at first and rent shared rooms to save money and once you decide where your family will settle you can rent a property. The money saved from initial months will help pay all the upfront costs involved in renting a property.

Finding a Rental Property

In general, living in CBD (Central Business District) areas are expensive; High rental and less space. Consider surrounding suburbs but try to be as close to public transport as possible (especially train stations).

Inspections are a great way to ensure you’re choosing a property that suits your needs. They’re often scheduled during work hours which can be difficult, but not impossible. Create your property shortlist & work with your employer to agree on how to best manage. Of course, if you have a partner or a friend who can help that may be an easier option. You’ll need to be super organised as inspection times are around 15 minutes so if you’re late you’ll miss it. During your inspection, be sure to take note of damage to the property, neighbours & rodents.

You’ll be asked to pay a bond before your rent any place. The bond is payable to “Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA)”. This is done by issuing money order payable to this Authority from AusPost or by cheque from your bank account. You don’t need to have a chequing account for this and can simply go to your bank and ask them to issue a check from your current account payable to RTBA. You give this money order or cheque to the Agent.

The main two sites to look find properties for lease are the Real Estate and Domain

Signing Leases

We recommend signing a formal rental agreement through a real-estate agency as there will be no hidden fees and all amounts payable will be provided upfront. Once you’ve signed your agreement you’ll need to pay a bond, this amount will vary but on average is approximately AU$2000 and is payable to the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority.

Documents Required

Furniture and Appliances

An obvious choice for economical furniture is Ikea, however Australia’s other cheaper options include Fantastic Furniture, K-Mart, A-Mart Furniture and BigW. For fridges and washing machines check http://www.appliancesonline.com.au. Also, check The Good Guys and Harvey Norman. If you’d like to try your luck at used goods, you can jump on eBay or Gumtree.

Accommodation