Invest
NSW rental stock continues decline as Sydneysiders go west
The continuation of Sydneysiders leaving the big smoke for other parts of NSW has once again firmed up rental stock in certain areas, new research has found.
NSW rental stock continues decline as Sydneysiders go west
The continuation of Sydneysiders leaving the big smoke for other parts of NSW has once again firmed up rental stock in certain areas, new research has found.
The REINSW Vacancy Rate Survey results show that for the month of February 2021, vacancy rates across much of the state continued to remain tight as more look to take advantage of homes outside the Sydney market.
Rates in Albury dropped to 0.7 per cent, from 0.8 per cent in January, as did Central West at 0.8 per cent in February, from 0.9 in January. The Northern Rivers area also saw a drop to 0.6 per cent, from 1.4 per cent in January,
The Murrumbidgee and New England areas saw the biggest drops – to 0.9 per cent in February from 1.5 per cent in January, and 2.0 per cent in February from 2.7 per cent in January, respectively.
“Rates in the Albury, Central West, Murrumbidgee, New England, Northern Rivers and South East areas all dropped in February,” REINSW CEO Tim McKibbin said.
“Feedback from our members in these areas indicates that stock is extremely tight, as tenants continue to exit the Sydney residential rental market to secure a property that suits both their budget and desired lifestyle.”
On the opposite side of the scale, vacancy rates in the Central Coast, Coffs Harbour and Riverina areas remained stable across the month of February. Meanwhile, the Mid North Coast, Orana and South Coast areas each experienced a slight uptick in the availability of rental accommodation.
When it comes to the state’s capital, vacancies for Sydney now sit at 3.1 per cent overall.
“Sydney’s Inner Ring dropped to 3.7 per cent, a decrease of 1.1 per cent for the month,” Mr McKibbin said.
“Similarly, the Outer Ring dropped by 0.6 per cent to 1.9 per cent.
“Bucking the trend, the Middle Ring remained relatively stable, experiencing only a slight 0.1 per cent rise to 4.3 per cent.
“Some of this downward movement may be due to families making decisions to move ahead of the start of the new school year and university students converging on the city for another year of study.
“However, if the last 12 months have taught us anything, it’s that the residential rental market remains unpredictable, moving up and down month after month.”
RELATED ARTICLES
Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more
Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more
Property
Home guarantee scheme shake-up challenges Australia’s housing market players
From 1 October 2025, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) materially widens what first-home buyers can purchase and where. By sharply lifting price caps and relaxing eligibility settings, the ...Read more
Property
GSB’s first‑home buyer play: turning policy tailwinds into market share
Great Southern Bank’s latest results show that nearly one in three of its new mortgages now go to first‑home buyers—evidence of a fast‑moving market reshaped by government guarantees, easing rates and ...Read more
Property
Why investors are fleeing and renters are scrambling in Australia's housing maze
Australia’s rental market is tightening even as individual landlords sell down. New data points to a multi‑year investor retreat tied to higher holding costs and regulatory uncertainty, while prices ...Read more
Property
Australia's 5% deposit guarantee: Unlocking gains while balancing risks in the market share race
Can a bigger government guarantee fix housing access without fuelling prices? Australia is about to find out. The Albanese government’s expanded 5% deposit pathway aims to help 70,000 buyers, remove ...Read more
Property
Australia's bold move the 5% deposit scheme shaking up the housing market
Can a government guarantee replace lenders mortgage insurance without inflating prices or risk? Canberra’s accelerated 5% deposit scheme is a bold demand-side nudge in a supply‑constrained marketRead more
Property
When rates drop but stress sticks: exploring Australia's mortgage arrears dilemma
Headline numbers suggest arrears ease as rates come down. The reality in Australia is messier: broad measures dipped into mid‑2025, yet severe delinquencies and non‑bank portfolios remain under ...Read more
Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more
Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more
Property
Home guarantee scheme shake-up challenges Australia’s housing market players
From 1 October 2025, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) materially widens what first-home buyers can purchase and where. By sharply lifting price caps and relaxing eligibility settings, the ...Read more
Property
GSB’s first‑home buyer play: turning policy tailwinds into market share
Great Southern Bank’s latest results show that nearly one in three of its new mortgages now go to first‑home buyers—evidence of a fast‑moving market reshaped by government guarantees, easing rates and ...Read more
Property
Why investors are fleeing and renters are scrambling in Australia's housing maze
Australia’s rental market is tightening even as individual landlords sell down. New data points to a multi‑year investor retreat tied to higher holding costs and regulatory uncertainty, while prices ...Read more
Property
Australia's 5% deposit guarantee: Unlocking gains while balancing risks in the market share race
Can a bigger government guarantee fix housing access without fuelling prices? Australia is about to find out. The Albanese government’s expanded 5% deposit pathway aims to help 70,000 buyers, remove ...Read more
Property
Australia's bold move the 5% deposit scheme shaking up the housing market
Can a government guarantee replace lenders mortgage insurance without inflating prices or risk? Canberra’s accelerated 5% deposit scheme is a bold demand-side nudge in a supply‑constrained marketRead more
Property
When rates drop but stress sticks: exploring Australia's mortgage arrears dilemma
Headline numbers suggest arrears ease as rates come down. The reality in Australia is messier: broad measures dipped into mid‑2025, yet severe delinquencies and non‑bank portfolios remain under ...Read more
