The state’s peak real estate body has scoffed at claims of a rental crisis in Perth, with its latest research showing the vacancy rate for rental properties steady at 2.5 per cent.
Real Estate Institute of Western Australia president David Airey said the January quarter figures, which were the same as those from December, showed any talk of a rental crisis in Perth was exaggerated.
Median rents in the three months to January were also steady, with units and villas renting for around $380 per week and houses for around $420/week.
“The percentage of metropolitan rental properties available for lease was unchanged over the three month period as a while but did fluctuate a little for each calendar month,” Mr Airey said.
“WE did see the vacancy rate in December lift a bit to 2.8 per cent but this has subsequently fallen to 2.3 per cent for the month of January.
“The more notable feature is an 18 per cent fall in the number of properties available for lease from 2,800 at the end of December to 2,300 in mid-February.”
