Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria region and the fastest growing city in Australia. As a central business hub for Asia-Pacific, Melbourne offers excellent job opportunities and has been considered as the world’s most liveable city. The metropolitan area of Melbourne has a population of over 5.2 million people. As almost 31 percent of all Melbourne’s inhabitants were born overseas, the city has been seen as a popular relocation destination for expats. Migrants who move to Melbourne are from around the globe and the growth of apartment rentals are significantly driven by them. Melbourne is a city that is ideal for living. The weather here is as varied as its population. Due to the oceanic climate, Melbourne has rather moderate temperatures over the year. The yearly average ranges from 10 degrees to 19 degrees. However, people often describe the weather in Melbourne as “4 seasons in one day”, which indicates how changeable the weather could be. Many expats moving to Melbourne find themselves living in apartments due to the relatively large supply available in the city.
Furnished & Serviced Apartments in Melbourne
In Melbourne, there are different types of rentals. For example, houses are more suitable for families, while students, bachelors and young professionals tend to rent furnished and serviced apartments. Most of those apartments are well equipped for changeable weather. Especially during the winter, it has proper heating to avoid the cold. However, there are still plenty of rental houses are built in an older style that can get quite cold in winter. So furnished and serviced apartments are a good option for people who want to avoid the hustle when moving to a new place. Those contemporary apartments are also being constructed all the time. There are various ways to find accommodation in Melbourne. The most common one is through real estate agents, who manage an abundance of properties in the city and have access to properties before they are publicly advertised, however these agents charge normally a fee of around 10 to 20 percent of the rental cost. Online rental portals is another effective way to find an apartment. And many people also find a number of offers on facebook group and local classified website. Through this way, you have to contact the landlord and arrange viewing by yourself. For those who don't want to spend much time on searching, they go for furnished and serviced apartment providers, which saves lots of effort and time.
Student Accommodation in Melbourne
There are more than 50,000 students living in Melbourne. Students normally have various options for accommodation, such as university-managed accommodation, residential college and off-campus housing. University-managed accommodation is on or near campus and it lets you live independently with support from the provider. Apartments in this type of housing are often shared by students and include shared facilities, which guarantees the benefits of living in a community. For example, most apartments offer a private or twin room with shared kitchen and bathroom. As for costs, you can expect a weekly rent between AU$250-300, which is usually below the median rent in the market. Furthermore, students can also go for off-campus living or choose homestay, which will provide you a private bedroom and most meals.
Neighbourhoods in Melbourne
There are 31 municipalities in the greater Melbourne metro area, including 15 inner city suburbs. Therefore, renting prices in Melbourne vary greatly, depending on property size, district and transport options. Before setting on a neighbourhood it is necessary to consider the amenities around it and the proximity to where you work or study. The city and inner suburbs are great areas to live if you want the best of Melbourne at your feet, where you can access live gigs, sporting events or the best restaurants. However, living in the CBD area will definitely cost you more. The average rent in the city centre goes around AU$350-400 a week, which is much higher than the other suburbs. Compared to that, Melbourne’s bayside suburbs are a laid-back choice, and it’s more affordable. Ester Melbourne suburbs attracts an older, more established population. Expats are particularly interested in southeast to central Melbourne, where the rentals are cheaper in comparison with the city centre.