Jessica Brown

Updated 9 Nov 2023, 9:18am

First published 9 Nov 2023, 6:30am

News Corp Australia Network

Looking for a room to rent in Adelaide? Don’t hold your breath if you’re looking in one of these suburbs … Picture: supplied.

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Demand for rooms to rent in share houses is on the rise across Adelaide but there aren’t enough available in many sought-after suburbs, new data reveals.

Latest Flatmates.com.au figures show despite new property listings increasing in October, it wasn’t enough to keep up with the rising number of people seeking a room.

Woodville was Adelaide’s most in-demand suburb with no supply – the data shows there are 54 people looking for a room but none are available.

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Somerton Park followed, with 39 room seekers and zero available, then Kent Town, with 34 room seekers.

Flatmates.com.au community manager Claudia Conley said they don’t usually see such high traffic volumes on the site until December at the start of the peak summer period.

“(This year) has been Flatmates.com.au’s busiest year on record, due to a record-breaking summer and without our typical seasonal winter slump,” she said.

“It’s clear more Australians are turning to share accommodation as pressures on the rental market and a cost-of-living crisis fail to die down.

“Half of all property listings on Flatmates.com.au are from homeowners, with the majority of these being live-in landlords renting out a spare room in their home.

Turner Real Estate chief executive Emma Slape. Picture: Brad Griffin.

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“Despite this growing trend, more property listings are still needed across the country to keep up with the growing demand for share accommodation.”

Turner Real Estate chief executive Emma Slape said tight rental markets often forced people to consider sharing properties.

“That’s something that reflects the availability of housing stock as well,” she said.

Real Estate Institute of SA chief executive Andrea Heading echoed Ms Slape’s comments, and warned those considering renting a room to be cautious as it was a market with many potential pitfalls.

“It’s more reputable to go through Flatmates.com.au than somewhere like Gumtree,” she said.

For tenants keen to rent a room out for some extra cash, Ms Heading urged them to make sure they sought their landlord’s approval first.

REISA chief executive Andrea Heading. Picture: supplied.

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Adelaide’s Top 10 suburbs with the most demand but no supply

(Suburb, number of people looking for a room, rooms)

Woodville – 54, 0

Somerton Park – 39, 0

Kent Town – 34, 0

Mitcham – 28, 0

Gawler – 26, 0

Kensington – 25, 0

Stirling – 23, 0

Black Forest – 21, 0

Dulwich – 21, 0

Hyde Park – 20, 0

Source: Flatmates.com.au