Newcastle families are increasingly looking for long-term rental security, but finding a property that ticks every box can mean making compromises.
The issue comes as new research from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) finds children living in private rentals move an average of six times by the age of 14.
That compares with just over two moves for children living in owner-occupied homes.
Eliza Dunn, director and investment manager at LM Property Co, said many families with young children were looking for stable arrangements.
“We do have people who specifically reach out wanting that long-term property,” Ms Dunn said.
“A lot of the time, especially people with young families, are wanting that stability of a long-term tenancy.”
She said, however, the length of a tenancy often depended on individual landlords, with some properties available for only short periods and others leased out for decades.
Families are also making trade-offs to remain in preferred locations, particularly around popular school catchments.
Ms Dunn said areas within the New Lambton and New Lambton South Public School zones were highly sought after.
“We do have people that are looking in certain pockets to meet those requirements for families,” she said.
Work commitments can also influence where people choose to rent, with some workers needing to remain close to major employers such as John Hunter Hospital because of on-call arrangements.
While rental affordability remains a challenge, Ms Dunn said conditions had become more stable compared with the sharp rent increases experienced during the COVID-19 period.
“The growth hasn’t been as fast as we saw in the COVID times,” she said.
“It is still tough and it is expensive renting.”
Ms Dunn also said recent changes to NSW rental laws had helped improve security for tenants.
The reforms, introduced last year, limit the circumstances in which landlords can end a tenancy and make it easier for renters to keep pets.
“I think they’ve had a fairly positive impact for renters who want that stability,” Ms Dunn said.
The AHURI report found housing stability plays an important role in children’s health, development and education, particularly during key life stages such as starting school.
For many Newcastle families, securing a long-term rental close to schools, work and support networks remains a balancing act in a competitive market.
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