Renting
So you've decided you're going to move out from home, and you want some tips. Well, this article aims to quickly cover the basics of renting and sharing a place. First off, you'll need to consider your budget, and your situation - maybe you're moving out with your girlfriend, or maybe you're moving to a whole new city - there's a bunch of options available to you.
Uni Property
Your university should have services for finding you accomodation. You should be able to lodge an application, and they may be able to offer you a place on campus, or at a colledge, or shared accomodation near the campus. This accomodation is usually quite cheap and safe, however, as always you should be able to see inside the property first and be aware of how long you're renting for.
Sharing Property
Whenever sharing property you should be wary of who you are sharing with - you'll get to know them very well. It's a good suggestion that you shouldn't rent with anyone who you find hard to live with, because even if you don't think it will annoy you, it generally will, and there's no escaping back home. However, living with a few friends is a university experience that should be tried by everyone.
Renting Property
Currently in Australia, particularly Sydney, there's a rental crisis, which means prices are going up rapidly, so your property search will probably be a case of you-get-what-you-pay-for. Before you move out, it's suggested you plan heavily, create a budget and make sure it's reasonable - ask friends and family to have a look at it.
You should have some cash in reserve, because you'll usually need the first two week's rent in advance as a deposit and a security bond (usually four weeks rent). Ontop of this, if you happen to lose your income stream whilst renting, you don't want to lose your accomodation, so reserve is important. Also, don't forget you'll have to pay other costs such as phone bills and electricity. Ontop of this, you'll need to buy your own furniture if you move into an unfurnished place. This can be a real hassle as once you're done renting, you're stuck with furniture and the cost of storage is huge. The furnishing cost is in itself considerable, with appliances (fridge, washing machine), to tables and chairs, to TVs. Although if you're lucky, you might be able to get this from friends and family.
Here are some websites for searching property: