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Wide range of homes available AUSTRALIAN cities offer a wide range of housing options. The range is from a single house on a block of land in the suburb of a big city or a flat in a high-rise block in an inner city area to a house on a large block of land in a rural area.Typically, Australians want to have their own house and land. They will often rent before they choose to buy a home or decide where to live. The price of housing will vary a lot between cities and within each city. Most people live in the suburbs of the state capital cities. They like to live close to where they work, go to schools, access community facilities and use leisure areas. Country towns and regional cities are smaller and widely separated. Life in a country town is more relaxed and less expensive than in a big city. Housing is usually more available for people who choose to work and live in towns away from capital cities. Renting a house Owners advertise houses and flats for rent in newspapers and at real estate offices. The staff members of real estate offices will assist you find, inspect and decide on a suitable house or a flat to rent. You may need to supply some paper work before you can rent a property. You will be required to pay rent in advance. The first payment will include a bond that is refundable at the end of the rental. A lease is an agreement to rent housing. It is a legal contract. If you have, doubts or concerns about a lease seek legal advice before signing the contract. As a tenant, you have rights and obligations. You can get more information on rights and obligations that apply in each state or territory from the government website in your state. Public housing State and territory governments provide some rental housing, called public housing, for people on low incomes. The rent is often a fixed part of your income. There is a very long waiting list for public housing. Emergency housing may be available in some cases of extreme need. Buying a house Australians see owning their own home as the great dream. Houses cost a lot of money, equal to about 8 to 10 years salary. Purchase usually occurs with an initial deposit and a bank loan for the rest. Most people pay back a house loan over 25 to 30 years. Real estate agents sell most houses but sometimes the owner sells their house direct to a buyer. You need permission from the Foreign Investment Review Board to buy a house or land for building if you are not a permanent resident living in Australia. Building a house Instead of buying a house, it is possible to buy land and have a house built to your plans. Government rules control the building of houses and a licensed person performs the building and related work. Legal advice There are Legal Aid offices in each state and territory. They can assist you with legal advice. For contact, details for Legal Aid in each state and territory. |
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