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Where will we live?
Wherever you choose to live in Australia, you will find the right kind of community for your lifestyle. Every city and large town has a wide choice of suitable housing, along with excellent community services which guarantee comfortable living.
Cities with populations over one million people - like Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth - present a variety of housing which will satisfy the most demanding tastes. Yet, compared to some major cities in other nations, prices in many Australian cities are relatively low given the high standard of housing available.
Many quite modest Australian houses have their own swimming pool and backyard barbecues. And most suburban communities are dotted with playing fields, parks, and tennis courts.
Australian houses are typically a mixture of European and American in style, with Australian variations. Tropical Queensland tends to timber and open plan, while Melbourne has more brick and fireplaces.
The traditional goal of 'the house on a quarter acre block' has strongly influenced the format of the suburbs in most towns and cities of Australia. The result is a sense of space and privacy in these communities which makes them very comfortable to live in.
The high-rise concentration of Europe, America and Asia is gaining in popularity in Australia. Until the 1980s most city centres were purely commercial. In recent years this has changed, and people have started to discover the excitement and convenience of city living.
Cost of housing
Houses cost more in the major cities than in smaller towns - the same house in Sydney or Melbourne could cost more than twice what it would in Hobart. But in the large cities you have a huge choice of different areas to live in, from waterfront mansions and suburban houses to comfortable inner city apartments.
House prices vary so much across the country that it is difficult to give a simple picture of what a house will cost.
For example, the following two charts show the wide range of housing available:
Median House Prices at September 2009
Sydney $606,804 Melbourne $499,794
Brisbane $460,308 Adelaide $424,793
Perth $488,623 Canberra $519,290
Hobart $331,004 Darwin $522,130
Median Flat/Unit/Townhouse Prices at September 2009
Sydney $457,274 Melbourne $398,440
Brisbane $341,584 Adelaide $355,222
Perth $458,450 Canberra $405,240
Hobart $255,893 Darwin $388,064
These charts show the market values of established houses sold in capital cities in the June quarter 2008. It gives a sense of the differences across the country. But the price range is substantial – so you can be sure that whatever kind of house you need for your family, you can find it in Australia.
Buying or renting a home in Australia
Home ownership is important to Australians. About 70% of the population live in homes belonging to them. Financial institutions like banks, building societies and credit unions encourage home ownership by lending up to 90% of the value of a property, depending on the borrower's financial status.
If you are planning to buy a house, it is advisable that you buy through a real estate agent who is a member of a Real Estate Institute. Each State and Territory has a Real Estate Institute located in its capital city. The eight State and Territory Institutes comprise the members of the Real Estate Institute of Australia. Most houses and units in Australia are sold through established agents, as they have the required expertise and they are governed by regulations - a guarantee that everything will be done in accordance with the law.
In addition, a wide variety of houses and units are available for rent through local real estate agents in all major cities and towns.
Information provided by:
The Real Estate Institute of Australia
PO Box 234 Deakin West ACT 2600 Australia
Real Estate House, 16 Thesiger Court Deakin West ACT 2600 Australia
Phone: +61 2 6282 4277
Fax: +61 2 6285 2444
Email: reia@reiaustralia.com.au
Website: www.reiaustralia.com.au | 
