HUNTER couple Ariel Dunn, 27, and Marty O'Grady, 28, have spent six weeks trying to rent a home.
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They've inspected more than 50 properties and applied for more than 12.
The duo work full-time with Ms Dunn employed at the university and Mr O'Grady, a panel beater by trade, working in the caravan industry.
They each have rental histories and consider themselves solid applicants.
They thought it might be hard finding a property that can house their dog, but they've been shocked at just how difficult it has been.
Ms Dunn said the couple had offered $60 above the advertised weekly rent on some of their previous applications in an attempt to breakthrough.
"There's nothing really in our application that you look at and go, 'oh no, they're not worthy applicants'," Ms Dunn said.
"It's very frustrating." Mr O'Grady added: "We're pulling our hair out."
The couple are among hundreds of prospective tenants across the Hunter struggling to secure a rental.
As reported by the Newcastle Herald on Saturday, the Hunter's rental market has tightened with the vacancy rate dipping to 1.3 per cent in July.
Several property managers have described it as one of the most competitive periods they've seen, with applicants offering up to a year's worth of rent in advance to stand out.
Ms Dunn and Mr O'Grady spoke to the Newcastle Herald after inspecting a $450 three-bedroom house on Lake Road at Glendale.
It was a property at the lower end of the couple's price range and "close to the freeway" where they hope to live.
They said they would likely apply but, given 19 people registered to inspect the property, did not feel confident that it was their future home.
It was a similar scene across Greater Newcastle on Saturday with property managers reporting having between 12 to 25 people registered for most open homes.
Single mum and part-time nurse Jo Cunningham was among 20 groups to inspect a $380 three-bedroom house on Coolamin Road in Waratah.
Ms Cunningham said she had been looking for a new rental close to her children's school in Lambton for more than a year and had applied for "a few dozen" places but was yet to submit a successful application.
"It's slim pickings or extremely expensive," she said.
"People are either faster, or they've got no children or two incomes.
"It's extremely frustrating. I would rather buy, as my mortgage repayments would be far less."
Fiona and Neil Madden began their search for a new property earlier this week, having rented in Mayfield for the past four-and-a-half years.
The couple, who are in their late 30s and have two children, have not been able to renew their existing lease and are seeking the security of a year-long term elsewhere.
Ms Madden said they had been surprised by the prices some properties were now being advertised for.
"People think very highly of their properties," she said.
"I think people are taking advantage of the pandemic. You shouldn't have to offer more [than advertised]."
The Maddens inspected a three-bedroom house on Southon Street in Mayfield that was viewed by 28 groups of people despite being advertised only two days earlier.
"It definitely lowers our expectations [of securing a new house]," Mr Madden said.
Amba Frogley, a property manager with Thornton Realty which is leasing the Southon Street house, said all 28 groups had indicated they would apply for the $500-a-week property.
"We're getting a load of applications prior to people even seeing the property," she said.
Thornton Realty mainly manages properties outside of Newcastle and Ms Frogley said it was just as competitive further inland.
"We're having up to 70 people at open homes, 30 applications and people offer $100 over the asking price," she said.
"We've got some amazing applications at the moment but just don't have the homes. We even had a surgeon on more than $200,000 a year miss out on a property."