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No need to rush: Property ladder not a priority

  • November 18 2019
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Invest

No need to rush: Property ladder not a priority

By Grace Ormsby
November 18 2019

The delay in the uptake of property ownership by young Australians is less about affordability issues and more about longer lifespans, a new report has indicated.

No need to rush: Property ladder not a priority

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  • November 18 2019
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The delay in the uptake of property ownership by young Australians is less about affordability issues and more about longer lifespans, a new report has indicated.

First home buying

The report, from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), has investigated the links between home ownership and Australia’s ageing population.

It found that delays in home purchase are broadly consistent with other social and demographic trends.

Noting that younger people are less likely to commit to buying a home than they were in the past, the report’s lead author, Rafal Chomik, said it “makes sense, given that lives have become longer and people are settling down at older ages”.

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The CEPAR senior research fellow from UNSW Sydney said, “To give some examples, over the past 50 years the median age of home purchase has increased by six years, from age 27 to 33.”

First home buying

“Over the same period, the median age of getting a first job has increased by two years; finishing education has been delayed by five years; having a child has been delayed by seven years; and getting married is now taking place eight years later.”

“In fact, the median age at death is now 12 years later, adding scope for people to catch up and purchase a house later in life,” he continued.

“This is not to say that affordability and access to housing finance are not important,” Mr Chomik highlighted.

“But the trend towards home purchase delay takes on a new complexion when placed in a broader demographic context.”

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About the author

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Grace is a journalist on Momentum Media's nestegg. She enjoys being able to provide easy to digest information and practical tips for Australians with regard to their wealth, as well as having a platform on which to engage leading experts and commentators and leverage their insight.

About the author

author image
Grace Ormsby

Grace is a journalist on Momentum Media's nestegg. She enjoys being able to provide easy to digest information and practical tips for Australians with regard to their wealth, as well as having a platform on which to engage leading experts and commentators and leverage their insight.

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