Southerners looking to Top End properties to ride out coronavirus crisis

AUSTRALIANS from southern states are looking to Top End properties to ride out the coronavirus storm

Raine & Horne Darwin general manager Glenn Grantham has seen an increase in inquiries for short-term rentals to ride out coronavirus in the NT. Picture: Keri Megelus

AUSTRALIANS are turning to the Territory to weather the coronavirus storm with a leading property professional saying inquiries on short-term rentals are increasing.

Raine & Horne general manager Glenn Grantham told the NT News his company had received numerous inquiries from people interstate, particularly the elderly, about leasing properties in Darwin to escape densely populated cities amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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“We’ve had people investigating short-term rentals to see out the health crisis and others are inquiring about moving permanently to Darwin from the southern states,” he said.

“In response, local owners are contemplating offering their homes Airbnb style to meet the demand for short-term rentals. We won’t be surprised if the over-70s start exploring the property options in Darwin longer-term as it’s a possible sanctuary from viruses such as COVID-19 and the common flu.

“I know of a couple that have moved up. They bought a property off me a fair while back, but they’ve moved up from Victoria to be in the Northern Territory for the next six months to be in the safest place in Australia … They’ve actually moved to the Territory to be safer than where they lived in Victoria, and they were in rural Victoria.”

Mr Grantham said inquiries this week had increased despite the Northern Territory Government’s border restrictions, with his company signing one person up for a rental property for three months.

He said the Territory’s seclusion, housing affordability and lifestyle would prove to be popular interstate.

“In Darwin, it is far easier to self-isolate and keep your distance because you only have a population of 130,000 people in the capital city,” he said.

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“You have all the health and retail amenities offered by the big southern capitals. That said, eating out or going to the movies isn’t such a big part of the local culture. The lifestyle of Darwin as it stands is very recreational with plenty of time spent outdoors. Given one of the best ways to smooth the curve on the spread of COVID-19 is to stay out of flu environments, on this basis Darwin must be the place to be the next few months and even longer-term.”