Like many Gen Zs, I’ve come to terms with the fact I will never be able to give my hypothetical future children the opportunities I was afforded: opportunities like their own bedrooms.
Young Sydneysiders are frequently told there are homes available, we’re simply too precious to move further away to get them. As an only child, “spoilt princess” allegations are nothing new, but I won’t accept them staining the record of our generation. Here’s the truth defence.
The average Australian loan size of about $660,000 has been thrown around a lot this election season. Let’s do a quick search for houses listed for under $700,000 in Greater Sydney (that surely won’t sell for a penny under $800,000 at auction). Hurrah, maybe the Boomers have got it right after all. Cancel the Netflix subscription and get saving because results are popping up.
Many of them are in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. I can sense the charge of “indulged” on the tip of your tongue, but hold on. This isn’t about refusing to leave the inner-city suburb with the best iced strawberry matcha. For someone who works in-office at least four days a week – with no option of paying for parking without taking out … a mortgage – it’s a mega-commute.
“Your parents had to buy in a starter suburb, too,” I predict you’re protesting right now, because I’ve heard it all before. They suffered, we’re told, so as certain as death and taxes, we must too. Only, I’m not convinced they did.
When I (incessantly and passionately) argue that my mum and dad were able to buy within five kilometres of the Sydney CBD as young parents leaving behind the Sunshine State and its oh-so-affordable Queenslanders, I’m often told their inner west postcode “wasn’t as desirable” in the ’90s.
Loading
Sure, I’ll suspend my disbelief and trust that a harbour breeze and Bohemian village vibes were turnoffs. But the fact remains that my family home was a 10-minute drive from the Queen Victoria Building, the emporium that to a child was home to the magical multi-level Christmas tree and thus the heart of the city.
Occasionally, we took the scenic route and walked. According to the Herald’s own calculator, if my parents were to spend the same amount today, adjusted for inflation, they would instead be looking as far away as Glen Alpine – about 50 kilometres from the city centre.