The Great Australian Dream of Owning a Home Is Dead - and We Killed It Ourselves

_{For decades, the Great Australian Dream was simple: get a job, save hard, buy a home, and raise a family with a backyard big enough for a barbecue and a game of cricket. It was a rite of passage, a symbol of security, and the ultimate reward for hard work.}

_{But let’s be honest: that dream is dead. And the hardest truth of all? We killed it ourselves.}

How Policy Sold Out the Dream

_{Successive governments have promised to make housing more affordable, but their solutions have done the opposite. First-home buyer grants, stamp duty concessions, and tax incentives were sold as lifelines - but instead they simply fueled demand, driving prices higher.}

_{Add in negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts, and you’ve got a system that rewards speculation over ownership. Politicians knew these policies kept voters happy and house prices climbing - and they chose popularity over affordability.}

The Investor Generation: Homes Became Assets

_{Somewhere along the way, homes stopped being about shelter and started being about wealth creation. Investors - often everyday Australians - jumped in, buying second, third, and even fourth properties.}

_{The mindset shifted: why see a house as a place to live when it could be a vehicle for passive income and early retirement? The result? First-home buyers were locked out while “mum and dad” investors drove up competition in the market.}

Banks, Debt, and the Illusion of Opportunity

_{Banks happily played their part. For years, easy lending and record-low interest rates gave Australians the illusion that anyone could own property if they just borrowed enough.}

_{But that illusion has cracked. Rising interest rates have left thousands of households in mortgage stress. What was once sold as a pathway to freedom has become a life sentence of debt.}

Winners and Losers in a Broken System

_{Let’s be clear: there have been winners. Long-term investors have seen their wealth multiply. Developers have profited handsomely. Governments have cashed in through stamp duty and taxes.}

_{But the losers are obvious too: first-home buyers priced out of their own cities, renters stuck in unstable housing, and younger generations who realise the system was never built for them. For many, the only realistic path to home ownership now is inheritance - hardly the fair go Australia prides itself on.}

Why Young Australians Are Walking Away

_{Millennials and Gen Z aren’t stupid. They see the writing on the wall. Many no longer believe the Great Australian Dream is realistic - or even desirable. Instead, they’re embracing “lifestyle renting,” prioritising travel, experiences, and flexibility over chasing a mortgage that feels out of reach.}

_{But make no mistake, this isn’t just about choice. It’s also about resignation. Entire generations have been forced to adjust their expectations because the old dream is out of reach.}

Can the Dream Be Reborn?

_{So, where do we go from here? Radical reform would be needed to reset the system? Perhaps it’s time to admit the old dream is gone. Maybe the future isn’t about the quarter-acre block, but about a new definition of security: affordable, stable housing, whether you rent or own.}

Facing the Truth

_{The Great Australian Dream didn’t quietly fade away. It was dismantled - piece by piece - by governments, banks, investors, and yes, ordinary Australians who saw property as a pathway to wealth rather than shelter.}

_{We can keep pretending the dream still exists, or we can face reality: it’s time to stop propping up a broken system and start building a new dream fit for the next generation.}

Reach out if you need a solution for your personal property situation - we can help.