DALE Cluderay is living in a tent at the Miami headland because he cannot find a place to live, as the city’s rental crisis hits a new low.
Rental vacancies dropped to 1.1 per cent in the last quarter to December as the city’s tourism boost and Commonwealth Games construction kicked into gear.
The only place where it is harder to find a rental property in Queensland is Noosa, where vacancies are at a mere 0.7 per cent, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland.
Mr Cluderay, 24, has been trying to find a place, but his search has been even more difficult because he has a pet.
“I had to move out of my place a few days earlier than expected but it’s so hard to find somewhere to rent,” the project manager said.
“Every home inspection, there are tons of people.
“I have a dog, so it makes it even harder.
“I’ve been living in a tent in Miami but I urgently need a place.”
LJ Hooker Varsity Lakes senior property manager Victoria Lawrence said it was a “crazy” time for those searching for a rental property.
As a result, some applicants were offering to pay a lot more rent upfront to increase their chances of finding a home.
“As soon as it goes on the internet at normal rate, they rent within a day,” Ms Lawrence said.
“I don’t even have to have inspections.
“Generally, the first person that gets it is the first person that puts in an application. First in first served.
“A few people have tried to offer extra money and pay more than someone else but I don’t accept that.”
The rental shortage comes as Gold Coast rents increased by 3.9 per cent to $499 a week in the past three months.
Real Estate Institute Queensland chairman John Newlands said a jobs boom on the Gold Coast was partly to blame for the shortage.
“The tourism has picked up as a result of the Australian dollar being lower,” he said.
“It is one of the big drivers … it creates a lot of jobs for people who support the tourism industry.
“There are also a lot of construction jobs with the high-rises and the infrastructure in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games.”
Mr Newlands said he expected the rental shortage to continue until after the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Jake Killeen and his fiance Libby Were have already started looking for a new place to rent despite their lease expiring only next month.
“We’re expecting it to take a few months because it can be really hard to find a place,” Mr Killeen said.
“We want to stay near the beach in Mermaid Beach and we have a dog, so that makes it even trickier.”
Originally Published On: http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/