Your Next Rental Can (and Should) Have a Pool, Gym, Yoga Studio, Dog Play Area and More

Forget the rental scenes of your nightmares: mouldy bathrooms, locks that jam when you’re running late, carpets with creepy unidentifiable stains, showerheads that drip all night, and  weed-ridden courtyards with just enough room for a broken clothes horse.

Instead, picture this: a modern apartment block with ample green-filled outdoor spaces for entertaining (like a barbeque and dog-friendly areas), a big-screen room complete with comfy lounges, a games room, a tranquil yoga studio, a gym full of brand-new equipment, and a hotel-quality outdoor pool.

Then there’s the apartment itself, with light oak floorboards and matching cabinetry; carpet in the bedrooms; clean white walls to hang your art on; built-in desks; abundant storage (truly!); and a fridge, washing machine, and dryer all included in your rent (plus a dishwasher and split-system heating and cooling that actually works).

That dream flat doesn’t have to stay a fantasy. Apartment rentals have come a long way in recent years. Now your home isn’t just the unit you’ve got keys to – it’s spread out across the building. And as more apartment blocks and buildings with communal spaces open, there’s a stronger focus on the quality of amenities, too.

Rather than just focusing on the apartments themselves when you’re looking for your next abode, it’s a good idea to scope out the amenities a building has to offer – especially when your lifestyle calls for it. Work from home often? An apartment with co-working spaces and bookable meeting rooms makes sense. If you love entertaining, look for somewhere the BBQ and pool is included. Gyms with all the bits and pieces for exercise enthusiasts. Art studios for creatives; in-house 'big screen' room for streaming the latest films, catching up on your favourite shows or re-watching The Bear while you wait for the next season; games rooms for pool and table tennis. Amenities are the new necessities – and they don’t always come with the price tag you’re thinking of. Plus, you’ll save heaps on external gym memberships, commute costs and entertainment. And if you only need a car every now and then, there’s an electric car share available for ultimate convenience. 

Some new builds have all that as well as extras you might not have even considered – like  an on-site team during extended hours and a fast, app-based maintenance process in case your dishwasher decides to cark it right before guests come over. 

While nowadays location *isn’t* everything, it’s still an important factor to consider. Choose somewhere within walking distance of public transport, supermarkets and topnotch cafes. Take Local Kensington as an example – it’s located across the road from a bus stop, and only 400 metres from Kensington Station (just two stops from the CBD). And you won’t even need to jump on public transport to find something to do – it’s a hop, skip and step from Rumble Coffee Roasters (another one’s opening in the lobby soon), Luncheonette, Hardimans Hotel and Arnold’s. You could very easily live here without a car – but if you did have one, you could make use of the dedicated car-washing set-up that’s available to all residents.

Beyond all the amenities in the building and the charms of the neighbourhood, there are other considerations, too. Some rentals offer flexible leases and fine print, letting you rent in a way that matches your lifestyle. At Local: Kensington, there are leases of up to five years, so you can settle in and live without fear of getting the boot, along with flat-rate bonds of $1000 (no catch), and a commitment to supplying at least 10 per cent of its apartments to those who need them, including women over 55 experiencing or at risk of homelessness. And for the sustainably minded among us, living somewhere like Local: Kensington means living fully electric. The apartment block operates at net zero emissions, with everything from your coffee machine to the washing machine Supported by on-site solar, efficient design and the option to connect to Greenpower.

Whether you’re a single, couple, family with kids, or pals looking to shack up (platonically), don’t let a shower without black mould be your rental benchmark. Places like Local: Kensington will make you want to move, even if you don’t need to.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Local Residential.