Which New South Wales region has the lowest vacancy rate? (And it's not Sydney)

Which New South Wales region has the lowest vacancy rate? (And it's not Sydney)
Jennifer DukeDecember 7, 2020

Vacancy rates in the inner and outer Sydney suburbs led a downward shift in available rental properties, however Albury is the most difficult area in which to get a rental across the state, according to the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales statistics.

In the August 2014 REINSW Vacancy Rate Survey, Albury’s vacancy rate increased by 0.1%, but at 1.7% it is the most difficult place to find rental accommodation.

Coffs Harbour saw a 0.3% rise to 3.4%, with the Northern Rivers increasing 1.7% to 3.7%, the highest figure for the area in more than two years.

Inner Sydney in general, however, isn’t far behind with the survey recorded a 0.2% vacancy drop to 1.8%.

REINSW president Malcolm Gunning said that outer Sydney suburbs dropped 0.1% to 1.8%. Middle ring suburbs actually increased by 0.2%, to 2.1%.

“We hit the bottom of the availability trend in March 2014 with 1.4% and have been tracking upwards for the last five months,” said Gunning.

“This decline could really be considered a slight glitch. Over the next few months it is expected that availability will continue to improve as more properties enter the marketplace as a result of the construction boom in Sydney,” he said.

The Hunter’s availability dropped 0.5% to 3.3%, reversing gains made in July, while Newcastle slipped the same amount from 3.2% to 2.7%.

The Illawarra dropped 0.1% to 2.0%, and Wollongong increased 0.1% to 2.2%.

Even vacancy rates in New England slipped, after being at an 11 year high, to 3.5% - a 0.7% drop. Orana continued the trend, falling 1.0% to 2.1%.

Jennifer Duke

Jennifer Duke was a property writer at Property Observer

Editor's Picks