The numbers paint a dire situation, with vacancy rates sitting at 0.30% for the town of Leeton and 1.16% for the shire of Leeton. 

The town’s real estate agents are struggling to keep up with the demand and it is not uncommon for a property to have up to 10 applications from prospective renters when it does become available. 

Both Gino Amato from Amato Real Estate and Glenn Preston from Glenn Preston Real Estate said their respective vacancies were sitting at less than 1 per cent. 

Anything below 2 per cent is considered to be a “crisis”. 

“The rental market is very tight … it’s not as buoyant as it once was,” Mr Amato said. 

“We’re getting plenty of applications coming into the office, but we just don’t have the properties for them to be renting. 

“I think the reasons why are still about the same. 

“It comes down to employment opportunities and jobs … there are plenty of jobs around and we’ve got people moving here for that.”

Mr Preston agreed and said when the homes at Golf Course Estate were being constructed, many doubted they would be filled. 

“People were wondering who was going to fill them, but they are full,” he said. 

“It’s not that our population has dramatically increased. I think there are a lot of people who want to rent instead of buying. 

“There’s also those who choose to live in Leeton and commute to places like Griffith. They want to live here.”

Figures show 28.48 per cent of people living in the town of Leeton are renters, with that number being 27.46 per cent for the wider shire area. 

Both Mr Preston and Mr Amato couldn’t see a real solution to the problem. More houses and units need to be built, but space is lacking in Leeton to do so. The pair recommended patience when it came down to being approved for a rental property. 

“It’s also a good idea to make sure your rental history is solid,” Mr Preston said. “The good news is, it’s a great time for investors wanting to get into the market.”