Residential vacancy rates have slipped across the Sydney market with it now harder to find rental accommodation, according to the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales.

REINSW President John Cunningham said the February 2017 REINSW Vacancy Rate Survey saw the Sydney metropolitan market down 0.2 per cent to 1.9 per cent.

“Inner Sydney led the fall in rental accommodation available with a 0.2 per cent decline at 1.7 per cent, levels last seen 9 months ago. 

“Middle Sydney fell 0.3 per cent at 1.8 per cent while Outer Sydney remained steady at 2.2 per cent,” Cunningham said. 

The Hunter slipped 0.2 per cent with a 0.7 per cent rise in Newcastle to 2.7 per cent offset by a fall of 0.9 per cent at 1.6 per cent in the rest of the region. 

In the Illawarra, vacancy rates fell 0.3 per cent at 1.1 per cent with Wollongong falling from 2.1 per cent to 1.1 per cent. 

Across regional areas, Albury was down 0.8 per cent at 3.2 per cent, the South Coast fell 0.2 per cent at 2.1 per cent and Northern Rivers slipped 0.5 per cent at 1.1 per cent. Coffs Harbour rose 1.1 per cent to 3.7 per cent and Central Coast gained 0.3 per cent to 2.8 per cent.

See also:

Are we becoming a nation of renters?

Rents up to 85% of income

Weighing up rental vacancies and unemployment rates