This simple side hustle is helping older Australians earn more and stay independent
- Replies 2
A new way to earn thousands of dollars a year is flying under the radar—and it doesn’t involve ride-share apps or selling crafts online.
One Sydney woman turned a pandemic-era solution into a booming side hustle with surprising demand across the country.
But while it’s a time-saver for many, not everyone in the real estate world is thrilled about it.
What started as a necessity during border closures had turned into a full-fledged business for Rose Le Sebvrer, a 58-year-old from Sydney.
She began inspecting rental properties for others during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many overseas renters couldn’t travel to Australia.
Today, her clients included people living interstate or abroad, and even locals who simply didn’t have time to attend inspections themselves.
Le Sebvrer juggled the part-time gig alongside her main work in strata insurance photography and evaluation.
She charged a minimum of $60 per inspection, with rates increasing depending on travel time and property size.
One job in the Blue Mountains paid $200 for a visit that required over two hours of driving.
On her busiest day, she inspected seven properties and made $400.
Her services included more than just showing up—each job involved a detailed report and visuals tailored to her client’s needs.
She took outside videos showing street traffic, nearby cafés, and parking availability.
Inside, she recorded every room, checking for mould, water flow, lighting, carpet condition, and cupboard functionality.
‘My biggest day was when I did seven properties and made about $400 that day,’ she shared.
Clients found the service especially helpful when relocating.
One Brisbane renter used Le Sebvrer’s help to find a Sydney home in under three weeks.
‘She said for her to fly down each Saturday for the opens, what I charged was much cheaper,’ Le Sebvrer said.
According to Airtasker, Melbourne currently had the highest demand for inspection gigs, followed by Brisbane and Sydney.
April marked the biggest year-on-year monthly spike on the platform, with demand for rental inspection services doubling.
March saw an 86 per cent increase, February rose 70 per cent, and January jumped 49 per cent compared to the previous year.
James Hayashi, principal at Ray White Eastern Beaches, noted relocation agents had long existed but were now more common—especially for premium properties.
Domain’s Chief of Research and Economics Nicola Powell said the trend made perfect sense.
‘It makes sense to have a service like this in the rental market, especially for people who are time-poor or unable to attend inspections themselves,’ she said.
‘Inspecting multiple properties can be very time-consuming, and if you’re moving from interstate or overseas, this kind of service saves you time and gives you access to an impartial person who can provide a property report on the rental.’
‘If a service gets somebody into the right home quicker, then I think the choice should be there for someone to be able to use.’
Le Sebvrer said her busiest period was between 2023 and 2024, but demand had tapered off as more providers entered the market.
Not everyone was on board with the idea.
A Sydney-based real estate agent, who went by Frank, admitted some agents still preferred prospective tenants to attend in person.
‘It’s definitely better if the renter comes to inspect the apartment themselves,’ he said.
‘They’re the ones we’ll be dealing with in the end, after all.’
Powell agreed that physical attendance helped avoid future complications.
‘The last thing they want is [for someone] to sign a lease and then try to break it because the property wasn’t what they thought it was,’ she said.
While the gig economy continues to evolve, the growing market for outsourced rental inspections offers Australians a new way to earn—and renters a faster path to their next home.
If you’re relying on others to inspect a property for you, trust is everything.
But what happens when that trust is broken by someone who’s supposed to act professionally?
Here’s a troubling case that shows just how badly things can go when a real estate agent crosses the line.
Read more: Authorities fine this real estate agent after being involved in 'deceptive acts'. What did she do?
Could trusting someone else to inspect your future home be a smart shortcut—or a risky shortcut too far?
One Sydney woman turned a pandemic-era solution into a booming side hustle with surprising demand across the country.
But while it’s a time-saver for many, not everyone in the real estate world is thrilled about it.
What started as a necessity during border closures had turned into a full-fledged business for Rose Le Sebvrer, a 58-year-old from Sydney.
She began inspecting rental properties for others during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many overseas renters couldn’t travel to Australia.
Today, her clients included people living interstate or abroad, and even locals who simply didn’t have time to attend inspections themselves.
Rose Le Sebvrer built a booming side hustle. Image source: Pexels/cottonbro studio
Disclaimer: This is a stock image used for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual person, item, or event described.
Disclaimer: This is a stock image used for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual person, item, or event described.
Le Sebvrer juggled the part-time gig alongside her main work in strata insurance photography and evaluation.
She charged a minimum of $60 per inspection, with rates increasing depending on travel time and property size.
One job in the Blue Mountains paid $200 for a visit that required over two hours of driving.
On her busiest day, she inspected seven properties and made $400.
Her services included more than just showing up—each job involved a detailed report and visuals tailored to her client’s needs.
She took outside videos showing street traffic, nearby cafés, and parking availability.
Inside, she recorded every room, checking for mould, water flow, lighting, carpet condition, and cupboard functionality.
‘My biggest day was when I did seven properties and made about $400 that day,’ she shared.
Clients found the service especially helpful when relocating.
One Brisbane renter used Le Sebvrer’s help to find a Sydney home in under three weeks.
‘She said for her to fly down each Saturday for the opens, what I charged was much cheaper,’ Le Sebvrer said.
According to Airtasker, Melbourne currently had the highest demand for inspection gigs, followed by Brisbane and Sydney.
April marked the biggest year-on-year monthly spike on the platform, with demand for rental inspection services doubling.
March saw an 86 per cent increase, February rose 70 per cent, and January jumped 49 per cent compared to the previous year.
James Hayashi, principal at Ray White Eastern Beaches, noted relocation agents had long existed but were now more common—especially for premium properties.
Domain’s Chief of Research and Economics Nicola Powell said the trend made perfect sense.
‘It makes sense to have a service like this in the rental market, especially for people who are time-poor or unable to attend inspections themselves,’ she said.
‘Inspecting multiple properties can be very time-consuming, and if you’re moving from interstate or overseas, this kind of service saves you time and gives you access to an impartial person who can provide a property report on the rental.’
‘If a service gets somebody into the right home quicker, then I think the choice should be there for someone to be able to use.’
Le Sebvrer said her busiest period was between 2023 and 2024, but demand had tapered off as more providers entered the market.
Not everyone was on board with the idea.
A Sydney-based real estate agent, who went by Frank, admitted some agents still preferred prospective tenants to attend in person.
‘It’s definitely better if the renter comes to inspect the apartment themselves,’ he said.
‘They’re the ones we’ll be dealing with in the end, after all.’
Powell agreed that physical attendance helped avoid future complications.
‘The last thing they want is [for someone] to sign a lease and then try to break it because the property wasn’t what they thought it was,’ she said.
While the gig economy continues to evolve, the growing market for outsourced rental inspections offers Australians a new way to earn—and renters a faster path to their next home.
If you’re relying on others to inspect a property for you, trust is everything.
But what happens when that trust is broken by someone who’s supposed to act professionally?
Here’s a troubling case that shows just how badly things can go when a real estate agent crosses the line.
Read more: Authorities fine this real estate agent after being involved in 'deceptive acts'. What did she do?
Could trusting someone else to inspect your future home be a smart shortcut—or a risky shortcut too far?
.png){kind=icon}
