AUSTRALIA HOUSING and ACCOMODATION

There is a wide range of housing options in Australian cities, 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 in a large block of land in a rural area. Normally Australians want to have their own house and land, and before they choose to buy a home they will often rent and then decide where to live. Most of the people live in the suburbs of the state capital cities, close to where they work, go to schools, and where they can access community facilities and use leisure areas.

For Australians House is a national symbol of security. If you have a job for more than six months it is easy to buy a house. If a home or flat needs to be given for rent, the owners advertise this in the news papers and real estate offices. Some paperwork needs to be supplied before renting a property. The staff members of real estate offices will assist you find, inspect and decide on a suitable house or flat to rent. The payment of rent needs to be made in advance. Banks finance for up to 30 years, and buying a house is along term investment. It is also easy to find places to rent in Australia. People buy 2 to 3 houses to rent out and let the rent pay the mortgage. Many Australians, especially younger people sell their place and buy another one wherever their job is. Older people also do the same, as soon as they have the mortgage paid off; they sell the place and buy a smaller one, put some cash aside for retirement and travel.

Life in a country town is more relaxed and less expensive than big cities. Housing is more available for people who choose to live and work in towns away from capital cities.

For people with low incomes, State and Territory Governments provide some rental housing, called public housing, with the rent as a fixed part of your income. Since there is a long waiting list for public housing, Emergency Housing may be available in some cases of emergency need.