Editorial: Drop in rents timely

Rent prices are dropping in Rotorua. Photo/Thinkstock

In a world of rising prices for this and that, some good news for those watching their pennies can be found in Rotorua's current rental market.

Some desperate Rotorua landlords are dropping rents to get tenants for homes that have stood empty for months.

The oversupply is in the smaller homes in not so desirable areas which cost between $200 and $230 a week. In some cases landlords are dropping the rent by $10 to $15, or offering to do added extras like mow the lawns.

For some families up to $15 extra a week is a big deal. That could mean an extra pack of meat on the groceries or additional petrol money to get to necessary ports of call during the week.

Cheaper rents are also an incentive for those wanting to save money for their first home. Some tenants are ditching their flasher homes in places like Lynmore where they are paying $350 a week in exchange for a $240-a-week reasonable house in Western Heights.

For those landlords who are still struggling to rent their properties, maybe it's time to get realistic in our current market.

In Australia, leases are very common, whereas in places like Rotorua tenants can hop from one property to the next as their needs arise.

There's nothing wrong with dropping the rent to get the bills paid and putting it on a six-month trial (or lease), giving landlords the option of putting the rent back up if need be.

In the meantime, I hope those local residents who are getting cheaper rents are making the most of their small windfalls.