Vol. No. Vol. 2618No. 2127
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Wednesday, January 22, 13, 2023 2016 Wednesday, November
f o e Lov e m a g e h t Horsham Golf Club life member Bob Hayes will be among those celebrating the club’s 125-year contribution to the Horsham and district community this weekend. The course and clubhouse have undergone several changes throughout its history and overcome natural disasters including the Black Saturday bushfires and flood – and Mr Hayes says it continues to be among the best courses, anywhere. Mr Hayes will join a panel discussion of Wimmera golfing identities at a celebratory dinner on Friday night. Story, page 7. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Affordable options BY SEAN O’CONNELL
A
Hindmarsh town has been labelled as one of three in the state that are most affordable to renters.
Nhill joined an exclusive list of locations in Victoria with above average rental affordability in SGS Economics and Planning’s latest Rental Affordability Index report. The report compared average rental household incomes and median rent prices in postcodes across the state, using data from the second financial quarter of 2023. Nhill earned a score of 166, with a score of between 151 and 200, or up to 15 percent of household income spent on rent, considered ‘affordable’. Ararat, 136, Stawell, 132, and Horsham, 128, all fell within the bracket of ‘acceptable’ rents, with a score of 100 or less, or 30 percent of household
income, indicating housing stress. Property managers have also acknowledged while there are vacancies in the region, further investment and development is among strategies needed to ease housing supply challenges. DMD Nhill property manager Sandra Speakman said rental prices were increasing in the town, but at a lower rate than most towns. “The rental market in Nhill is still fairly strong and, on the whole, they are generally affordable,” she said. “Because we are a small country town, housing prices do not go up as fast. There are rises, but they are more stable rises.” Mrs Speakman said supply issues were raising rental prices, with an influx of applicants from outside the area increasing demand. “A lot of people have moved here for a lifestyle change. Some are retirees who want to slow down,” she said.
Hindmarsh mayor Brett Ireland said all four towns in the shire had affordable rentals and housing. “Two of our towns border the Wimmera river, which offers boating, water-skiing, fishing and swimming and the other two have small lakes, which offer most of these as well,” he said. “All towns offer a range of facilities, clubs, groups and so on. “Hindmarsh shire has numerous job opportunities and, along with housing affordability, offers a wonderful, healthy lifestyle change. “We, like many rural communities, welcome development to increase our populations.” Mrs Speakman said landlords faced significant challenges to keep rentals affordable. “Expenses are going up for them and that’s why prices are going up,” she said. Ararat Elders Real Estate property
manager Jessica Ward said the introduction of new minimum standards and mandatory testing had reduced the number of affordable rentals in the Ararat region. The State Government introduced new minimum requirements for rental properties in March 2021, requiring regular checks including of smoke alarms, electricity and gas inputs. “I think there’s a lot of rental properties at higher rates, but the market is lacking low-income rentals,” Mrs Ward said. “You want properties to be safe, but it’s a lot for owners to put up.” Mrs Ward said in recent weeks she had seen up to 18 units available in the Ararat region, but most were charging about $400 a week, raising affordability issues. “There’s a lot of agencies to help with tenancy. There is also funding available and different government
initiatives to help people stay in private rentals,” she said. Mrs Ward said employment opportunities in Ararat, including at the hospital, schools and correctional facilities, attracted renters from the city and interstate. She said Ararat’s connection to Melbourne via train was also appealing. “The prison brings a lot of workers, some who rent and live part-time here and part-time in the city,” she said. Mrs Ward said short-term accommodation platforms were another factor increasing prices, while future development could provide relief. “Ararat has a lot of new development in the pipeline, which should help with supply,” she said. Harcourts Horsham principal Mark Clyne said the rural city’s rental market had ‘equalised fairly well’ after a unique period during the pandemic. Continued page 3
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