Invest
Why the kids are coming home
As Australia’s east coast property market continues to become out of reach for buyers, younger and older Aussies are moving back in together, new research has suggested.

Why the kids are coming home
As Australia’s east coast property market continues to become out of reach for buyers, younger and older Aussies are moving back in together, new research has suggested.

A study released from the University of New South Wales showed almost one in five Australians live in a multigenerational home, while in Australia’s most expensive city, Sydney, that number grows to one in four.
Senior research fellow from the UNSW City Futures Research Centre, Dr Edgar Liu, studies the emergence of multigenerational housing in Australia.
He said housing affordability is one of the key drivers behind the growth of multigenerational living.
“You have young people who, increasingly, are unable to afford to leave home, and at the same time, you have [their parents and grandparents] experiencing perhaps similar financial stress,” Dr Liu said.
Despite most families getting together due to financial reasons, many are choosing to stay together due to family support the research also found.
“It’s a way for families to stay connected, and allows for greater intergenerational connections...especially for the older generation, they can be closer to the family and spend more time with the grandkids.”
Dr Liu said the desire to age in place, rather than move into institutional aged care, may also be behind the growth, noting that government support for institutional care has also changed over the last 20 years.
“The fastest-growing age group for multigenerational household members is the over 65’s,” he said.
Governments need to act
Dr Liu believes the uptick in multigenerational living will have a significant policy implications for urban planning as well as aged care services.
He said the government and developers are not building the type of multigenerational homes people need – and that the deficit in suitable housing is unlikely to change.
“It’s quite hard to find a house with enough bedrooms that’s affordable, has reasonable access to jobs and services appropriate to the needs of each generation,” he said.
“At the moment, much of the new housing we see are provided as apartments, and they are typically small with 1-2 bedrooms, which is not really suitable to most family arrangements. So it is a bigger planning issue around how we have the right mix of housing for people,” Dr Liu concluded.
About the author

About the author


Property
HomeBuilder applications soar as first-timers enter the market in record numbers
Record numbers of first home buyers are coming into the market assisted by the government’s HomeBuilder stimulus, which is expected to help spur $50 billion in economic activity. ...Read more

Property
Dual Occupancy Homes – Why They Are A Smart Investment In The Current Market
Promoted by Metricon ...Read more

Property
4 factors affecting property market trends in 2021
Following a tough 2020, property investment activity is expected to rebound strong, expanding by 50 per cent in the second half of 2021. ...Read more

Property
House prices tipped to surge 30% on the back of cheap money
According to new documents released from the Reserve Bank of Australia, persistently low interest rates could push up property prices by as much as 30 per cent. ...Read more

Property
Double-digit price growth to stick around as ‘property boom’ arrives
According to leading indicators, Australia’s property boom officially began in November, following several slow months on the back of the COVID crisis, with double-digit price growth already logged ...Read more

Property
How to turn your ‘costly’ lifestyle investment into a money-making asset
Emotionally driven holiday home buyers are being advised to seek maximum rental income and depreciation benefits to make their investments viable. ...Read more

Property
Dutch e-commerce giant VidaXL ramping up Australian operations
Netherlands-based online retailer VidaXL is ramping up its operations in Australia, by launching the build of a brand new 81,000 sq m national distribution centre in Melbourne. ...Read more

Property
Invest in property or watch savings dwindle, expert warns
Money is cheaper than it’s ever been on the back of a favourable interest rate environment, compelling Aussies to shift away from other types of investment vehicles and into property investment. ...Read more

Property
HomeBuilder applications soar as first-timers enter the market in record numbers
Record numbers of first home buyers are coming into the market assisted by the government’s HomeBuilder stimulus, which is expected to help spur $50 billion in economic activity. ...Read more

Property
Dual Occupancy Homes – Why They Are A Smart Investment In The Current Market
Promoted by Metricon ...Read more

Property
4 factors affecting property market trends in 2021
Following a tough 2020, property investment activity is expected to rebound strong, expanding by 50 per cent in the second half of 2021. ...Read more

Property
House prices tipped to surge 30% on the back of cheap money
According to new documents released from the Reserve Bank of Australia, persistently low interest rates could push up property prices by as much as 30 per cent. ...Read more

Property
Double-digit price growth to stick around as ‘property boom’ arrives
According to leading indicators, Australia’s property boom officially began in November, following several slow months on the back of the COVID crisis, with double-digit price growth already logged ...Read more

Property
How to turn your ‘costly’ lifestyle investment into a money-making asset
Emotionally driven holiday home buyers are being advised to seek maximum rental income and depreciation benefits to make their investments viable. ...Read more

Property
Dutch e-commerce giant VidaXL ramping up Australian operations
Netherlands-based online retailer VidaXL is ramping up its operations in Australia, by launching the build of a brand new 81,000 sq m national distribution centre in Melbourne. ...Read more

Property
Invest in property or watch savings dwindle, expert warns
Money is cheaper than it’s ever been on the back of a favourable interest rate environment, compelling Aussies to shift away from other types of investment vehicles and into property investment. ...Read more