New research shows Australian renters want home security, car parking and pet-friendly facilities above other popular amenities such as gyms and co-working spaces.
A new CBRE and realestate.com.au report shows 49% of survey respondents prioritised security in an apartment building, as 46% pointed to parking and 23% wanted pet-friendly amenities.
Lifestyle amenities such as swimming pools (11%), gyms (6%) and co-working space (3%) were less of a priority for the surveyed tenants.
But the main reasons that tenants chose a place to rent were based on location and price, both at 42%, compared to just 4% who chose a place to live based on its amenities.
CBRE’s head of research, Pacific, Sameer Chopra, said the survey reinforced what they were hearing on the ground.
“Beyond price and location, rental choice is anchored by core essentials like security, parking, and pet friendliness,” Mr Chopra said.
Location and price are the main factors that shape where tenants choose to rent. Picture: Getty
“With nearly a quarter of renters planning to stay put for five or more years, households are viewing renting as a long-term solution.”
The report found that 24% of Aussie tenants considered renting to be a long-term plan and hoped to stay in their rentals for more than five years.
About 1.6 million Australians rent, and nearly 300,000 apartment renters are aged 35-44.
Source: CBRE
Solo households made up 43% of apartment renters, followed by couples (25%), families with children (12%) and share houses (10%).
Affordability was a driving force in the sharing economy, with 45% of Australians renting in share houses doing so because they couldn’t afford to rent on their own.
Others entered share housing arrangements for a range of reasons including greater flexibility, lack of housing supply, and social appeal.
Almost one in four (23%) renters prioritised pet-friendly amenities in apartment buildings. Picture: Getty
REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty said living alone wasn’t an option for a majority of share house renters.
“Rent growth over the past decade has been significant across most markets, and renters are feeling it,” Ms Flaherty said.
“Two-thirds of share house renters told us they'd prefer to live alone, but right now that's just not an option for many of them.”
REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty says renting alone isn't an option for the majority of share house renters.
Rental affordability has worsened over the past year, hitting its lowest level since at least 2008, when records began, according to the 2026 realestate.com.au Rental Affordability Index.
During the six months from July to December 2025, households across the income distribution could afford to rent the smallest share of advertised rentals since at least 2008.
While rent growth has slowed compared to the pace recorded a few years ago, it has still outstripped income growth in the past year, worsening already challenging rental affordability.
Median dwelling rental prices across Australia’s capital cities rose 4.6% year-on-year to $680 over the March quarter, while regional dwelling rents jumped 9.1% to $600, according to PropTrack.
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