Downsizing might be a good idea. But where to?

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Downsizing might be a good idea. But where to?

1 yr ago

So, the government wants older Australians to downsize to free up housing for younger people. Where do they think we are going to go? Many in their 50s still have children living at home. Regional housing stock is scarce and thanks to governments of either side stripping rural and regional areas of services, only a few centres have any real appeal. Older people need to be close to health care, if not now, maybe in the future.

And with many suburbs’ average house prices well over $1 million, how many new home buyers can even afford to buy a four-bedroom in a metropolitan location?

Are you thinking of downsizing? Let’s face it, the appeal is there, a smaller home means less cleaning, less in bills and easier to lock up and leave if you are travelling. But is it a solution for the housing crisis?

5 comments

Sophie

1 yr ago

Sorry Jan....I have to ask why is a 50 year old still living at home?

Sue Ridge

1 yr ago

It's so easy to be negative. All we hear is that young people will never own a home when the opposite can be true. When we bought our first home we had to show the bank we could save, have a large deposit and accept the interest rate that was set by the Reserve Bank. To do the first two we went without a lot of social outings, didn't buy anything we didn't need and didn't take expensive holidays. We bought an older home which was sound and learned to do minor repairs when needed as our mortgage payments of $135pm didn't leave room for wasteful spending. Today's young people seem to want everything all at once, a new house, a new car, eating out, an overseas holiday and a full social life. A neighbour's son and his fiancee bought an older property in a regional area with a tenant whose rental helped reduce the loan. They sold the property and the profit enabled them to buy a home near where they both worked.

Viking

1 yr ago

The only solution to improving housing availability is to build more houses but that obviously escapes a stunt man like Morrison. Who would want to sell up and move to an aged people's home with the neglect, buck-passing and incompetence this sector has suffered under the LNP.

Our first home was a 2/3 modest cottage which would suit most first home buyers. Guess what we would downsize to? A 2/3 bedroom cottage and our current home is certainly not within the range of a first home buyer. Sounds like the typical brilliance of yet more LNP policy thinking to me.

If this the best the incumbent can come up with to stay in government, let's pray for change.

Sue Ridge

1 yr ago

Considering that councils are the main decision makers when it comes to allowing land to be re-zoned and subsequent approval of homes being built and state governments being there to settle disputes between a developer and a council, I find it interesting that you claim that "a stunt man like Morrison " is suddenly responsible. If Labor wins, Viking, I presume that you will also blame Albanese?

Viking

1 yr ago

Really? Are you serious? The federal government has $5billion in bushfire and flood mitigation grants which if it ever gets around to it will be distributed to local councils. It can provide the State governments with the money for building homes on land it owns. I'm sure if the federal government can find a way to pay a party donor $30 million for a $3 million piece of land it can find a way to channel funds to community housing. If the feds have no role in housing, why does it have a federal housing minister and minister for homelessness social and community housing in Richard Sukkar MP?

The Labor party is promising to build 30,000 social homes. How can Labor do it but the LNP can't? So is this the bloke who can't hold a hose in action again?

Viking

1 yr ago

Now we know it was a stunt and everyone with any smarts saw right through it. It failed just like its architect who has been kicked out of one job after another. The man with his initials reversed, Simon (BS) Birmingham got it right. 'We lost because of an increasing number of professionals and better education.' What a damming indictments for the LNP and it's voters.

HOLA

1 yr ago

I downsized 10 years ago. I am so glad I did. It's a daunting task and I never thought I could do it. Don't just sit there and think about it, one has to strike while the iron's hot. I think I started the ball rolling as 3 of my friends decided to do the same. I bought a small 2 bedroom Villa with a tiny yard and a lovely garden. Sure it's lonely by yourself but I'm always catching up with family and friends. I don't know about less bills as I still have to pay for Gas/Electricity/Water/Rates/Strata Fees/Petrol. Anyone thinking about it, do the Math and move on.

RnR

1 yr ago

Good on you Hola ... sounds like you made the right decision at the right time.

Not so easy these days with exorbitant prices and a tight market.

HOLA

1 yr ago

True RnR. People told me I should of waited I could have got more, but I wasn't looking to make a Motza,

as long as I had money in the bank to live a more comfortable lifestyle, it was time to move. Thank the Gods I did.

Celia

1 yr ago

We down sized six years ago and then found that was on the large side, but we are still here; so we thought about going smaller and then the Covid outbreak came and we thought we would be safer in a larger property rather than go to a retirement village so here we stay.

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Downsizing might be a good idea. But where to?

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