Ahome is an important part of our lives. It can be the place your family comes together and where you find respite at the end of a busy day at work.

Housing in the Murray region is often quite affordable, especially when compared to the costs in metropolitan areas such as Sydney and Melbourne.

It may be preferable to find temporary accommodation to begin with, when arriving in the Murray region. This would mean greater flexibility to relocate to another part of the region for employment, if necessary. Being locked into a lease can restrict the area of a job search. It is not practical to live in one side of the region and work in another because it can take up to six hours to travel.

Renting

Rental properties are listed on the real estate websites mentioned earlier. You may be required to show proof of income and rental history prior to securing a lease.

Rental Accommodation in Murray region can be a competitive market, with variability throughout the region in cost and availability. When searching for a place to live, it is practical to bring proof of income and rental history documents to rental inspections.

Real estate agents usually ask for a rental bond as a form of security – this is lodged with the Rental Bond Board, a government institution. This is generally a minimum of four weeks rent, so the cost should be factored into your financial considerations.

Know your rights and obligations as a renter:

www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au  to learn all about renting in NSW

http://www.resaust.com.au or http://www.exec-relocations.com.au  to use a relocation consultant.

Some other useful sites are:

www.realestate.com.au allows you to key in a suburb and search for a house in the price range you can afford.

www.domain.com.au  provides comprehensive listings of rental properties and houses and apartments for sale across NSW.

www.homepriceguide.com.au gives the average prices for suburbs and towns as well as a breakdown of a suburb’s population, public transport, demographics and more.