Flatmates’ 2024 National Share Accommodation Survey
Every year, we ask you, the people, for the 4-1-1 on everything that’s going on in the sharehouse world. This year, we surveyed 8,723 people about everything from whether they have a rental agreement to how many people don’t sit on the toilet in their sharehouse (not kidding, you’ll be shocked).
On a more serious note though, 2024 has been another challenging year and if there’s one thing we want you to take from this, it is that if you’re finding it hard, you’re not alone. Everyone is feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, and as much as we love to have fun around here, it’s important to highlight how people are being impacted.
So, sit tight as we go through the numbers and dive into everything going on in the sharehouse world!
Is Flatmates.com.au legit?
As you could probably assume we’re going to toot our own horn and say that Flatmates is awesome.
But don’t listen to us – listen to the people! 46% of property seekers said they eventually found a home through flatmates.com.au, with 73% of listers saying that Flatmates is their preferred place to list.
Not only do people prefer to use Flatmates, but they also say that using it is a piece of cake, with 78% of property listers saying they found using Flatmates either easy or very easy.
Why use Flatmates?
Flatmates is an awesome, budget friendly way to find accommodation if you’re on the move or moving out of home for the first time. It can help connect you with people offering anything from a shared room to entire apartments!
In our survey, 63% of listers said they eventually found their tenant through flatmates.com.au - over half of the market! For seekers, 85% said that Flatmates was their first port of call for finding their home, with 46% saying they found their home through Flatmates.
Who lists properties on Flatmates.com.au?
Renting isn’t cheap, and it’s no wonder that 62% of people listing their spaces are doing so to help cover their rent or mortgage, with 21% of listers hoping to make some additional income.
In a true sign of the times, 44% of listings come from people who lease the property themselves, slightly edging out the 39% who own and live in their homes. This shift indicates more people are looking to fill up those spare rooms to make an extra buck. But hey, if you’re looking for somewhere to move in, there’s no time like the present!
You might be surprised to learn that 6% of homeowners don’t even live in their properties. They’re just looking for tenants to help cover the costs and keep the place occupied. And then there’s the 3% trying to find someone to take over their space because they’re off on a new adventure – up from 2% last year.
It’s not all just about money, though. If you’re looking for community and connections (or maybe just a few new friends to binge-watch Netflix with), the sharehouse market has plenty to offer.
Sharehouse setups
While we all pretend not to be, deep down we all have that inner sticky beak telling us to find out everyone’s goss. Good news, we can spill! Find out everything from the kind of house people are looking for to share-mance (yes, share-mance not romance) goss from all around Australia.
Why do people want to move into a share house?
The primary reason (unsurprisingly) people were turning to sharing for financial reasons. 45% of respondents couldn’t afford to rent a whole property.
Outside of this, 9% of people said their primary reason was because it’s easier and more flexible than a lease, with 6% enjoying the social aspect of living with other people and having some company (cute AF).
Same as last year, there is the 10% that say they’re doing it for the plot, so that they can save money for other more exciting things like travelling, getting on the beers, or splurging on the good life (or something responsible like a house deposit).
What sorts of share houses are people looking for?
And for the third year in a row the numbers for types of accommodation are looking very similar.
86% of you wanted a private room, and 38% are looking for a one-bedroom apartment, granny flat or a studio.
15% wanted a 2+ bedroom property to rent for sharing with others, and 12% were looking to “team up” with others to start a new share house.
And yes, for the brainiacs out there that does equal well over 100%, but one person may be looking for multiple property types – because why limit yourself?
What agreements and contracts do people have with their housemates?
Same as last year, there are 30% of you who have a written agreement with your housemates. Awesome!
For the 23% of you have a verbal agreement, that’s awesome – however that’s the same as last year, which means it’s probably time to use our free Flatmate Agreement template to get something on paper. Everyone needs a sense of security in their shared home so that expectations are the same. If your roomie doesn’t want to sign a written agreement, even if it’s informal, it might be a red flag.
For the 6% of you who have no agreement at all, respectfully, let’s get going.
What are people checking in potential housemates?
Another common issue that we here at Flatmates pick up on is that people are worried about the reliability of someone moving in. And rightfully so, you’re much better off being skeptical about who’s going to be using your dunny (unless they’re in the 7% of people who don’t sit on the toilet in their share house…).
Well fret not because this is how people said you can know if someone will be a good housemate:
- Employment checks
- Face-to-face conversations
- Financial situation
- Rental history
- ID check
- Personal reference
- Background check
- Follow your gut
Money and finances
Like we’ve said, this year has been a challenging year for a lot of people due to the cost-of-living crisis. PropTrack data reveals that the September rental vacancy rate of 1.34% is a drop of around 57% since the start of 2020. Its been a difficult period for homeowners too, with higher interest rates and cost of living impacts creating a tough environment.
What this means is that a lot of people are having to turn to couch surfing, living in shared accommodation, or if they are fortunate enough to move back in with relatives.
All of this has been reflected in our survey, with 43% of all renters and owners saying there has been an increase in rent this year, and 56% of you saying that you or your flatmates are struggling to pay the rent.
The good news? Despite 43% saying they have seen an increase in their rent, this number is down considerably from 54% in 2023, the lowest it has been since 2022 – meaning that hopefully there’s some relief on the horizon if the RBA decides to reduce rates in 2025.
How to deal with the cost-of-living crisis in share houses
With pressure makes diamonds, and with a lot of pressure on a lot of people, there are a lot of diamonds out there! We went ahead and asked the community how they are saving their pennies in 2024, and this is what they cooked up (spoiler alert?).
34% of people had their boo thang move in so that they can split a room and make the rent cheaper, with 45% of people saying they divide the utilities evenly among the house. 48% of our respondents also said that they were saving money by having house and dinner parties instead of venturing into the wilderness for a night out. House part anyone?
Share house relationships
Who you live with can be a massive make or break on your experience sharing. So, we went to our audience to get the lowdown on all that goss going on behind the scenes.
Making new connections
What gives us the utmost joy at Flatmates is when we hear stories about people connecting through sharing; from roomies to life-long besties, or sometimes partners!
53% of people from a new city said that moving into shared accommodation helped them to make new friends and settle into their new city. Also, 50% of people said their sharehouse feels like home, and 11% of people said the best thing about sharing is friendships. Who’s cutting onions?
Not only that, but 8% of you said that you formed a serious relationship with someone that they met in a share house. Call us cupid because that is adorable!
What’s the best part about living in a share house?
Last year we asked you guys what the worst part about living in a share house was. This year, we’re flipping the script and seeing what brings the vibes when it comes to sharing with other people:
- Can split the cost of living
- Cheap rent
- Save money to spend on other things
- Friendships
- Can afford to live in the suburb you want
- The company
- Can pay off the mortgage sooner
- Other
Sharehouse demographics in Australia
Out of the 8,723 people who responded, here are the share house demographics for 2024:
Age
| Age | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 18 to 24 | 20% |
| 25 to 34 | 37% |
| 35 to 44 | 16% |
| 45 to 54 | 12% |
| 55 to 64 | 10% |
| 65 to 74 | 4% |
| 75 or older | 1% |
State
| State | Percentage |
|---|---|
| ACT | 3% |
| NSW | 30% |
| NT | 1% |
| QLD | 27% |
| SA | 6% |
| TAS | 2% |
| VIC | 22% |
| WA | 9% |
| Outside of Aus | 1% |
Gender
| Gender Diverse | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Male | 38.2% |
| Female | 57.3% |
| Non Binary | 1.4% |
| Gender Diverse | 0.5% |
| I’d prefer not to say | 2% |
| Not listed | 0.4% |
Income
| Income | Percentage |
|---|---|
| $1 - $9999 | 10% |
| $10,000 - $24,999 | 11% |
| $25,000 - $49,999 | 17% |
| $50,000 - 74,999 | 20% |
| $75 000 to $99,999 | 15% |
| $100,000 - $149,999 | 10% |
| Greater than $150,000 | 3% |
| I prefer not to say | 14% |
Employment
| Work status | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Working full time | 49% |
| Working part time | 19% |
| Casual work | 24% |
| Side Hustles | 7% |
| Government payments | 14% |
| Family/parents | 6% |
| Shares | 2% |
| Rent from property investments | 4% |
| Other | 5% |
Employment industries
| Industry | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 14% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Education | 7% |
| Construction | 5% |
| The Arts | 2% |
| Marketing | 2% |
| Science | 2% |
| I work for myself | 5% |
| Healthcare | 12% |
| Administration | 4% |
| Public Servant | 3% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Finance and Insurance | 4% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Personal Services | 1% |
| Transport | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Law | 1% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Engineering | 2% |
| Academia | 1% |
| Research | 1% |
| Other | 14% |
How many people in share accommodation are students
| Student | 29% |
| Non- student | 71% |
Level of education
| Education level | Percentage |
|---|---|
| High School Certificate | 18% |
| Bachelor Degree | 36% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% |
| Certificate 3 or 4 | 10% |
| Masters | 17% |
| PhD | 2% |
| Other | 3% |
Residency Status
| Residency Status | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Australian Citizen | 59% |
| Permanent Resident | 9% |
| International Student | 13% |
| Backpacker/holiday maker | 7% |
| Skilled Migrant | 3% |
| Other visa holder | 5% |
| New Zealander | 3% |
| Other | 1% |
