Most Affordable Rent in the State?

LOCAL real estate agents and community support workers have scoffed at a report by Compass Housing claiming the Upper Hunter Shire is the most affordable area in the state for rent.

The Affordable Housing Income Gap Report states that residents of Scone and surrounds only pay 20 percent of their income on rent, that there is a median rent price of $250 and the median household income is $1,223.

Lee Watts, manager of the Scone Neighbourhood Resource Centre said the figures in the report were completely unrealistic and don’t reflect the true picture of renting in the area.

“I’m always speaking with local real estate agents to try and find people accommodation and their estimate on the median price to rent is $320, not $250,” said Ms Watts.

“There are lots of mine workers here on good money and that definitely skews the picture of what the median income actually is, we have a three tier local economy with high income earners, others who aren’t high income earners but get by and then we have a lot of low income people in our community and those figures are completely unrealistic for people at the lower end of incomes,” she said.

“I am currently working with a Sri Lankan family with five children to find a home and it is a real struggle and they are like so many people in our community,”she said.

“They are on one income and when you go to view a property you have 30 minutes to view and lodge your completed paperwork, because it is so competitive to get rentals now and they need housing with three or four bedrooms and prices for those are more like $400 and more,” she said.

“And have a look at the Compass Housing situation in our community, there are not enough properties, some don’t have heating or cooling, they take forever to get anything done on the properties and Bones is a good example of how their system is broken here,” she said.

“There are a lot of people in our community struggling and a lot of one income families who are falling through the cracks,” said Lee Watts.

Mac Dawson from Ray White in Scone agreed the figures did not stack up.

Lee Watts, manager of Scone Neighbourhood Resource Centre speaking with Mac Dawson from Ray White Scone.

“The figures they have quoted are not what we see for average income of tenants or the average costs of rentals here, if you can find any rentals,” said Mr Dawson.

“I honestly don’t know where they have that information from,” he said.

“There is a squeeze in the rental market and finding a place to rent is as rare as hen’s teeth,” he said.

“And since February this year rental prices have increased, a two bedroom place is anywhere from $20 to $50 dearer and at the top end of the market prices are up $80,” he said.

“A good rule of thumb is a two bedroom place is about $280 and a three bedroom place you wouldn’t find for under $320 and a four bedroom you are in the $400 and up,” he said.

“The market is improving for investors since the beginning of the year, but owners also need to understand they can’t put rent up in the middle of lease,” Mac Dawson said.