Rental properties have seen vacancy rates maintained across Australia on 1.9 per cent for February, while there has been an increase in vacancy rates over the last 12 months.
February 2012 saw the national vacancy rate at 1.7 per cent, climbing to 1.9 per cent last month, according to the latest statistics from SQM Research.
As of February, there are 52,351 pieces of rental real estate available.
Melbourne's vacancy rate experienced a 0.3 per cent decline between January and February, resulting in 11,410 vacant properties and a 2.7 per cent vacancy rate - the lowest for a number of months.
Managing director of SQM Research Louis Christopher explained that investors are still benefiting from the current marketplace.
He said: "Residential rental vacancy rates remained unchanged once again at a rate that is illustrative of a landlord's market.
"While there should be a move of renters turning themselves into first home buyers this year, it does not seem to be at this stage a major shift."
SQM Research found that the rental market had somewhat stagnated, but vacancy rates will trend upward as economic conditions will attract renters into real estate ownership.
