NSW still have to pay and you would be darn lucky to find anything for that price too

Same in WA PlanB, if pensioners were lucky enough to find something at that price (in the cities and larger towns of course) they would have to find the money to build the house on it, if you get my drift........

There are scores of pages of quality, spacious homes available and in good locations too.  Here are the listings on just one site,

http://www.realestate.com.au/buy/between-0-300000/list-1

There is no shortage of properties for under $200,000 either, or for under $150,000.

It all depends on where one's priorities lie in life.  Many of us were never given any support in life, no guvvy house at a peppercorn rent nor assistance through education, but we were able to make our way through forcing ourselves to have goals and working towards them. 

I often went short as a student.  I worked long hours in dirty and dangerous jobs at the same time.  You lined up to be chosen for work every day.  OH&S was a joke and if mentioned you were sacked on the spot.  Many was the day I walked miles to lectures because I didn't have the fuel money, that was reserved for getting to work.  I lived in caravans and paid rent for decades.

My first realestate investment was a property that no-one would buy because it was below everyone's 'standards' and needed work, but the structure was sound.

Of course I could have done as many did then and still do now: turned my nose up and demanded a modern house with en suite, air conditioning and mod cons in an area that was convenient to me.  Then they whinge - on and on and bloody on.

I think stamp duty on houses in South Australia is the highest in Australia

I don't think that's right Gustacian - we moved from NSW to Victoria a couple of years ago and as pensioners we didn't have to pay stamp duty.  I think this was treating us as first time buyers in Vic. Should we move, we'd have to pay.  Our Conveyancer suggested that we buy the house in one name only, so if we did move, we could buy the house in the other spouse's name and not pay SD.

I wasn't given support either and never had a Government home either--I worked long and hard to get what I want and where I wanted so don't intend moving and if I wanted to stay in this are I would pay about $400 for land alone

Same here, PlanB, except land is a lot dearer in Vic.

However, when the GST was introduced, stamp duty was meant to be abolished in all states.

Well $400 it was meant to be $400,000 and that is for an average block they are paying well over $1000000 for some here--and sometimes more, as they buy a 10 year old home and knock it down and build another

It is no different with concessions on rates - different in every state.

WA has the best 50% for pensioners. Tassie has capped theirs $375 a year which when we arrived 17 years back was good because rates on average home were around $900 and now ....................around 1700 when one counts in the water and sewerage which has gone to Tassie favourite split into 3 P/L companies all acting as if privately owed just like our power co and boy oh boy has it gone up even without the green policies of renewable energy.

I guess we cant have it the same in all states as wages for instance in Tassie are lower than the mainland as also house prices but these have leapt up as retirees flock here to escape the heat and crime of multi cultural cities of Sydney and Melbourne and not discounting my favourite home city Perth, WA.  

And yes stamp duty was one of the 7 taxes the states promised to get rid of but then remember all were Labor and they make promises and break them without any regard for their constituents.