Australian rents soar to record highs as housing crisis bites

National median rents for Australians have reached record highs, CoreLogic data shows.

The median rent rose to $601 per week in December, or $31,252 a year, and increase of more than $160 since August 2020.

Average rent growths were 9.1 percent over the past three calendar years compared with 2 percent in the 2010s. Sydney recorded the highest median rent at $745 per week, while Hobart was the lowest at $535. Hobart recorded a -3.5 percent drop in median rents. Along with Canberra, which fell -1.9 percent, they were the only markets to experience a decline.

Author of the Rental Market Update and head of research Australia at CoreLogic, Eliza Owen, said factors such as an upswing in migration numbers since 2022 and the overall decline in the average size of households were contributing factors to the rise in prices.

It noted that the reduction in available social housing had placed further pressure on the private rental market, especially at the lower end.

While the figures are alarming to renters, the report noted that the rate of growth has slowed compared with recent years. Last year, rent values rose 8.3 percent, down from 9.6 percent in the year to September 2022. The contrast is even greater in regional areas where rents increased by 4.3 percent last year compared with 13.4 percent in the year to August 2021.

“The easing in rent growth is good news with regard to inflation, but there was a slight pick-up in annual growth once again in the final quarter of 2023,” Ms Owen said in the report. “This ‘re-acceleration’ in rents was most consistent across the capital city house markets, but was also evident in regional rent markets.”

However, she said cost of living pressures were causing some renters to re-think household arrangements.

“As noted in previous quarters, part of the explanation for an uptick in house rent growth may be in part due to households re-grouping into share houses,” Ms Owen said. “Additionally, the premium of house rents over units has narrowed in the past two years, from $63 per week at the median level to $38.

“This ‘catch up’ in unit rents could be making them less appealing, diverting tenants back to houses.”

Former Aussie Rules player Jeff Chapman’s dream beach house, which has had its praises sung by The Independent in the UK, is back on the market with a revised – and more competitive – price guide.

The contemporary pavilion-style residence Alinghi, created by celebrated architect James Grose, was voted one of the top five beach houses in the world by the British newspaper and has been operating as a luxury holiday rental earning up to $7000 a week.

The one-time Melbourne forward and founder of Bennelong Funds Management, and his wife Carena Shankar, listed the five-bedroom getaway back in mid 2024 with hopes of about $8 million. The prestige property is now back with new agent Pauline Karatau of Ray White New Farm and the amended guide now sits at $6.5 million.

As part of the private 5ha Rocky Point estate, at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef overlooking Honeymoon Bay, the glamorous holiday home shares not only a private beach with just four other neighbours, but also a 30m saltwater pool, a full-size tennis court, a beach cabana with barbecue facilities and a full-time live-in caretaker on site.

Alinghi seemingly floats against the cliffs of North Queensland’s Capricorn Coast consisting of two pavilions and shallow reflections pools for ultimate serenity. Residence number 5 is home to a two-storey main pavilion with large living spaces spilling onto semi-enclosed areas framing enviable ocean views. Upstairs there are four bedrooms, including two with ensuites. The second pavilion is a private retreat housing the main bedroom suite with an additional study or wellness space.

Crafted by Grose to leave minimal impact on its natural environment, the house features external materials sourced locally including rich cedar, plus glass and Travertine stone specifically chosen to blend and weather with the landscape over time.

The low maintenance property is also relatively self sufficient thanks to water tanks collecting the region’s abundant rainfall. Despite it’s northern Queensland address air-conditioning is an after-thought due to the clever cross-ventilation design principles and deliberate orientation capturing ocean breezes that flow through the large footprint.

Alinghi’s external lightning has also been carefully designed to be low voltage with minimum impact upon the local wildlife including wallabies, echidnas, goannas, turtles and even a diverse range of native birds. From the private terraces throughout winter, homeowners can also track the migratory whales.

Alinghi is a 90-minute drive away from Agnes Waters and its sister town of 1770 (also known as Seventeen Seventy). It is approximately 120kms from Bundaberg, which is home to a well-serviced domestic airport.

Alinghi is listed for sale with a price guide of $6.5 million via Ray White New Farm agent Pauline Karatau on 0418 733 773.

Australian rents soar to record highs as housing crisis bites

The humble share house is back on the table as renters wrestle with rising rental costs