PHOTO: Psychologist Terra Harrison says there were very limited options for rent in Eden.(ABC South East: Keira Proust)
When family psychologist Terra Harrison decided to take the plunge and move from Newcastle to the sleepy seaside town of Eden on the NSW Far South Coast, she realised some “out of the box” thinking was needed to find a place to live.
Key points:
- There are calls for more holiday home owners to put their vacant properties up for rent going into winter
- Regional areas in NSW continue to struggle with ongoing housing shortage
- Real Estate Employers Federation’s Jo Thrope says holiday homes won’t work as a solution for everyone
Ms Harrison had decided to move her family to the region for a “tree change,” and to help deliver more mental health support services to regional NSW.
But she said it was concerning to see only two viable rental options on the market when trying to move.
“It was very limited in terms of what we had to choose from,” Ms Harrison said.
Ms Harrison said she was lucky to have one holiday home owner open his doors to the family for a short-term lease after she asked a local real estate about other options.
“It’s really great that a holiday home owner opened up his house to a renter because now I’m able to stay and set up my service in this area,” she said.
It comes as the Bega Valley Shire Council is calling on holiday home owners to consider putting their vacant properties up for rent during the quieter winter months.
“A lot of our rental accommodation is gone,” Bega Valley Shire Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick said.
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