Older Australians are increasingly hoping for a decline in house prices to help younger generations enter the property market. Pete Muskens, a 71-year-old retired architect from Melbourne, bought his first home in the early 1980s for less than three times the average annual wage, a level of affordability he notes is now unimaginable for his children.
Muskens believes that recent government property tax reforms, which have made real estate less lucrative for new investors, are a crucial step in addressing the housing crisis. These reforms have faced criticism from political opponents and parts of the property sector.
Charlie Bell, a 76-year-old retired scientific researcher, also expressed a willingness to see prices fall, stating, “I would be happy if prices came down – I would lose a bit, but it would make it easier for my kids and grandkids to buy houses.” He noted that house prices have risen faster than salaries, unlike when he bought his first home in the mid-1980s.
An Anglicare Australia report from August described the property reforms as a significant shift in wealth taxation aimed at rebalancing an unfair system. The report indicated that home ownership for 25 to 34-year-olds is now below 40%, mirroring levels from the 1940s, and the rental market is largely unaffordable.