Rental vacancy rates hit new low, new PropTrack report finds

Australia’s national rental vacancy rate fell 0.6% down to 1.06% in September according to the latest PropTrack Market Insight Report. It also found that vacant properties are now 55% below March 2020 levels.

Overall, rental vacancies were down in both capital cities and regional areas. Most cities and regions have seen vacancy rates fall on a quarterly basis. The report notes that vacancy rates are now below 1% in three capital cities with other markets potentially joining the list as demand continues to grow.

Cities
Vacancy Rate
Region
Vacancy Rate
Sydney
1.18% (-0.11%)
NSW 
1.22% (-0.08%)
Melbourne
1.15% (-0.6%)
VIC
1.10% (0.02)
Brisbane
0.86% (0.02%)
QLD
0.89% (-0.06%)
Adelaide
0.65% (-0.04%)
SA
0.65% (-0.05%)
Perth
0.71% (0.01%)
WA
1.11% (-0.14%)
Hobart
1.40% (-0.13%)
TAS
1.16% (-0.07%)
Darwin
1.80% (0.10%)
NT
1.50% (-0.49%)
ACT
1.62% (-0.11%)
Average Regional
1.06% (-0.06%)
Average City
1.06% (-0.05%)
National Vacancy Rate 
1.06% (-0.06%)

Sydney's vacancy rate slid to 1.18%, while Melbourne followed closely with a rate of 1.15% on a monthly basis. Both cities continue a trend of quarterly decline in rental vacancies, mirroring the national trend.

On the other hand, vacancy rates held relatively steady in Brisbane, rising a slight 0.02 percentage points to 0.86%, while Adelaide and Perth recorded the lowest vacancy rates with 0.65% and 0.71% respectively. Hobart saw the sharpest drop in capital vacancies over the month, falling by 0.13 percentage points to 1.4%. 

Regional areas haven’t been immune either. Apart from Victoria, regional vacancy rates have dropped, with regional South Australia at 0.65% and Queensland at 0.89%. However, the biggest decline so far has been in the Northern Territory with a monthly fall of 0.45%

How will renters be affected by lower vacancy rates?

While cities and regional areas have seen variable rates of decline, the broadly consistent fall to 1.6% on average points to a tougher rental market.

“Declining vacancy rates are increasing competition for rentals and placing growing pressure on rents.” says PropTrack economist Anne Flaherty. “As a result, rents are predicted to continue rising at above-trend levels over the coming months, particularly in the capitals.”

In the long run, It remains to be seen whether recent legislation and the increasing pipeline of build-to-rent properties will help to alleviate the tight market for both renters and prospective home buyers

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Last updated 12 December 2024 Important disclosures and comparison rate warning*
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    Offset Home Loan

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    Comparison rate
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    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,899
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    Basic Home Loan

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    Variable Home Loan 90

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    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,011
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    Budget Home Loan

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    Initial monthly repayment
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    Competitively-priced variable rate loan. Ideal for owner occupiers and investors. No service fees to pay. Make free extra repayments and redraws. Flexible repayment schedule available.

  • Basic Home Loan

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    $2,899
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  • Offset Home Loan

    • Fixed
    • Owner Occupier
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    Interest rate
    5.69 % p.a.
    Fixed 2 years
    Comparison rate
    6.30 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,899
    Go to site

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  • Fixed Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR <95%
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    5.69 % p.a.
    Fixed 2 years
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    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,899
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    Get the security of a competitive fixed rate home loan for 2 years with IMB. Get up to $4,000 cashback (T&Cs apply). Up to 12 months repayments in advance without penalties. Free Internet and Mobile Banking redraws (T&Cs apply). Up to a 30 year loan term. Split loan available. No offset account.

  • Flex Home Loan

    • Fixed
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    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR <60%
    Interest rate
    5.79 % p.a.
    Fixed 2 years
    Comparison rate
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    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,931
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    Competitive Fixed rate. Multiple offset accounts available. Borrowers can also make extra repayments. Redraw facility available. Simple online application process. 40% deposit required.

  • Unloan Variable

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR <80%
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    5.99 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    5.90 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,995
    Go to site

    Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply online in minutes.

  • Variable Home Loan 90

    • Principal and Interest
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    6.04 % p.a.
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    Comparison rate
    6.06 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,011
    Go to site

    Affordable home loan rate for buyers or refinancers. No monthly or ongoing fees. Option to add an offset for 0.10%. Access to savings with unlimited redraws available. Minimum 10% deposit required.

  • Budget Home Loan

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    • Owner Occupier
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    6.04 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.07 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,011
    Go to site

    Enjoy a discounted variable home loan from IMB. Get up to $4,000 cashback (T&Cs apply). Life-of-loan discount off IMB’s standard variable interest rate. Unrestricted additional repayments. Free Internet and Mobile Banking redraws (T&Cs apply). No monthly fees to pay. Up to a 30 year loan term. Split loan available. No offset account.

  • Neat Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
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    Interest rate
    6.09 % p.a.
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    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,027
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    Competitively-priced variable rate loan. Ideal for owner occupiers and investors. No service fees to pay. Make free extra repayments and redraws. Flexible repayment schedule available.

  • Flex Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
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    6.09 % p.a.
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    6.33 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,027
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    Competitive variable rate. Multiple offset accounts available. Borrowers can also make extra repayments. Redraw facility available. Simple online application process. 40% deposit required.

  • Basic Home Loan

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    6.14 % p.a.
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    6.16 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,043
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    Enjoy a low rate home loan with $0 application fee and $0 ongoing fees. Flexibility to split your loan and set different repayment types. Fee free redraw from your loan using online banking. Flexible ways to repay. 40% Deposit required.

  • Offset Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR<60%
    • Principal & Interest
    Interest rate
    6.14 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.39 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,043
    Go to site

    Ability to open up to 10 offset accounts per loan account. Fast online application. Linked Debit Mastercard® with fee-free access at ATMs across Australia. Package a credit card with your home loan and the annual card fee will be waived (T&Cs apply). 40% deposit required.

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* WARNING: This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. The comparison rate displayed is for a secured loan with monthly principal and interest repayments for $150,000 over 25 years.

** Initial monthly repayment figures are estimates only, based on the advertised rate. You can change the loan amount and term in the input boxes at the top of this table. Rates, fees and charges and therefore the total cost of the loan may vary depending on your loan amount, loan term, and credit history. Actual repayments will depend on your individual circumstances and interest rate changes.

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