Vacancy rates down but Sydney and Melbourne markets continue to struggle
Property vacancy rates continue to fall in the majority of Australian capital cities, causing rents to edge upwards as tenants compete for a limited supply of housing.
The latest figures from Archistar reveal that house vacancy rates are lowest in Canberra at 0.4%, followed by Adelaide (0.6%), Darwin (0.8%), Perth (0.9%) and Hobart (0.9%). Brisbane also posted low numbers at just above the 1% mark.
The number of unoccupied units has also been steadily dropping, putting further upward pressure on rents. However, things have been tracking in the opposite direction in Melbourne and Sydney, where inner-city apartment vacancies have reached record highs.
Archistar chief economist Andrew Wilson said landlords face an uphill battle in Melbourne, where “interstate migration shifts and a CBD apartment glut are providing relief for local tenants.”
"Similarly, Sydney’s inner city apartment market also reflecting the impacts of border restrictions is providing more choices and lower rents for tenants - with no relief for landlords in sight."
Capital city vacancy rates
City | House | Unit | Total |
Sydney | 1.9% | 5.2% | 3.8% |
Melbourne | 2.5% | 7.3% | 4.5% |
Brisbane | 1.3% | 2.7% | 1.4% |
Adelaide | 0.6% | 1.9% | 0.9% |
Perth | 0.9% | 1.6% | 1.1% |
Hobart | 0.9% | 1.8% | 1.1% |
Darwin | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
Canberra | 0.4% | 1.6% | 0.9% |
Both Sydney and Melbourne recorded vacancy rates well above the 3% benchmark considered healthy by the Real Estate Agency of Australia. Not surprisingly, Melbourne is faring the worst of the two, with 4.5% of homes currently unoccupied.
The lingering effects of lockdown and a dearth of international students are expected to keep rents in the two major cities low for the foreseeable future, particularly in the inner-city apartment markets.
And while rents in other capital cities have been buoyed by a shortage of supply, recent changes to the JobKeeper and JobSeeker programs could see things take a turn for the worse.
With an estimated 1.1 million Australians on JobKeeper throughout the March quarter, its conclusion is expected to cause significant job losses. According to secretary to the Australian Treasury, Steven Kennedy, an estimated 150,000 Australians will be out of work.
An increase in the number of tenants struggling to make rent could see vacancy rates drift upwards in the coming months, and Sydney and Melbourne won’t be the only cities dealt a heavy blow.
For more information on property and lending trends, head over to our home loan statistics page. And if you’re in the market for a home loan, visit our home loan comparison page, or browse the selection below.
Home loan comparisons on Mozo - last updated 26 April 2024
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Featured Product
Mozo experts choice awards won:
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Unloan Variable
Owner Occupier, LVR <80%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment5.99% p.a. variable5.90% p.a.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.
CompareCompareUnloan Variable
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.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 5.90% p.a.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 5.90% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $10,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $10,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
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- Principal & Interest
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- Owner Occupier
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Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Unloan Unloan Variable
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Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Exceptional Value Home Lender - 2024
Express Home Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR <90%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment6.01% p.a. variable6.14% p.a.Get fast online approval from the award-winning Bendigo Bank Express Home Loan. Multiple offset accounts and redraw available. 100% offset on variable rate loans and partial offset on fixed rate. Flexible repayment options. New home loans only.
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Get fast online approval from the award-winning Bendigo Bank Express Home Loan. Multiple offset accounts and redraw available. 100% offset on variable rate loans and partial offset on fixed rate. Flexible repayment options. New home loans only.
- interest rate
- 6.01% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 6.14% p.a.
- interest rate
- 6.01% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 6.14% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $134
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- $10.00 monthly
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- $350.00
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- yes - free
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- yes - free
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- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 90.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $5,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $3,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
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- Principal & Interest
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- Owner Occupier
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- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
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Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Bendigo Bank Express Home Loan
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Discounted Home Value Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR 70-80%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment6.09% p.a. variable6.09% p.a.Enjoy competitive rates for owner occupiers. Enjoy unlimited free extra repayments. Flexibility to redraw additional payments for free. No ongoing monthly service fee. Settlement fee waived on new borrowings from $50,000 (T&Cs apply).
CompareCompareDiscounted Home Value Loan
Enjoy competitive rates for owner occupiers. Enjoy unlimited free extra repayments. Flexibility to redraw additional payments for free. No ongoing monthly service fee. Settlement fee waived on new borrowings from $50,000 (T&Cs apply).
- interest rate
- 6.09% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 6.09% p.a.
- interest rate
- 6.09% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 6.09% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $300.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $50,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $15,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
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- Owner Occupier
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- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
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- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the HSBC Discounted Home Value Loan
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Featured Product
Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2024
Unloan Variable
Investment, LVR <80%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment6.29% p.a. variable6.20% p.a.Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for investors. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply online in minutes.
CompareCompareUnloan Variable
Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for investors. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply online in minutes.
- interest rate
- 6.29% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 6.20% p.a.
- interest rate
- 6.29% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 6.20% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $10,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $10,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Investor
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- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Unloan Unloan Variable
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Basic Home Loan
Fixed, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR<70%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years6.12% p.a.No upfront or ongoing fees. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Option to earn Qantas points. Min 30% deposit required. Borrow up to $750,000.
CompareCompareBasic Home Loan
No upfront or ongoing fees. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Option to earn Qantas points. Min 30% deposit required. Borrow up to $750,000.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.12% p.a.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.12% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $350
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $400.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - up to $10,000 p.a.
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 70.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $150,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $10,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
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- Monthly
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- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Macquarie Basic Home Loan
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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.
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