Research rental market

The published figures for Research: houses return a gross yield of about 2.2%, from a median rent of $650 a week (Victorian rental report, September 2025) against a median house price of $1,530,500 (Median · Land Victoria · the latest published quarter (updated May 2026)). Gross yield is before management fees, rates, insurance, maintenance and vacancy, so the net return is lower; the fee table on this page shows what management alone takes. Whether that makes Research a good investment depends on your loan rate, your tax position and how long you hold, so compare it with the suburbs around it and take advice on your own numbers.

In Victoria the typical management fee is about 5.9% of the rent collected, and the letting fee about 1.5 weeks' rent each time a new tenant signs (LocalAgentFinder, Property Management Fees Australia: 2026 Guide, 13 March 2026). REIQ's guide (1 December 2023) puts the VIC range at 5% to 10% in metro areas and 6% in regional areas. At Research's median house rent of $650 a week (Victorian rental report, September 2025), a 5.9% management fee is about $1,994 a year, and a letting fee of 1.5 weeks' rent is about $975 each time a new tenant signs. Fees are not fixed by law: the NSW Government says the fees and conditions of a management agency agreement are negotiable, and REIWA publishes no guideline fees. Ask for the full schedule, including lease renewals, inspections and statements, before you sign.

No. A rental appraisal from a property manager is free: the agency provides it in the hope of winning the management of your property, and you are under no obligation to appoint them. It is different from a valuation by a licensed valuer, which is a paid written report used by lenders and courts. Ask two or three local agencies for one and compare their fee schedules with the table on this page before you choose.

A property manager looks at the property, in person or from photos and a description, and compares it with similar properties recently let nearby: the same suburb, dwelling type and bedroom count. They give you a rent range, usually as a weekly figure, and explain what moves it, such as condition, parking, air conditioning and whether pets are allowed. In Research the median house rent is $650 a week (Victorian rental report, September 2025), which is the middle of the market rather than a quote for your property. The appraisal comes in writing, and you can ask for the agency's fee schedule with it so you can compare it with the table on this page.