If you’ve tried to rent a home in Australia recently, you’ve probably felt the squeeze: sky-high rents, dozens of applicants competing, and slim pickings in many areas. By now, people are calling it a rental crisis – and it truly is. But how did we get here? I want to walk you through the key factors that led us to this point.

Finding affordable rent in Australia can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. I’ve been through the struggle myself, and I learned that negotiating a lower rent is not only possible but also a skill that can be refined with the right approach. In this post, I’m going to share my journey and some practical tips based on global best practices – all while keeping in mind the unique flavour of the Australian rental market. Whether you’re a first-time renter or have been in the game for a while, these strategies might just help you secure a better deal on your next lease.

If you’ve been searching for a rental lately, you’ve probably felt the heat of Australia’s rental crisis – low availability, skyrocketing prices, and dozens of hopeful tenants at every inspection. A key number behind all this chaos is the vacancy rate. But what exactly is it, and why does it matter?

I’m a long-time Australian renter, and I’ve seen how renting in Australia has changed over the years. Looking back, it’s clear that renting today is a very different experience than it was decades ago. In this post, I want to share a brief history of renting in Australia from about the 1970s to now.