Co-author Dr Tim Williams says governments need to reconsider tax incentives and policies that encourage investors to push house prices higher. The Homes for All report is an action plan released by the McKell Institute, a new independent body that aims to develop policy ideas and encourage public debate. (www.news.com.au)
This comes after a Sydney Morning Herald article claimed it takes more than eight times the average annual income to buy an average Sydney home, up from 5.6 times in 2001. The article explained that Australians for Affordable Housing (AAH) which is made up of 60 community and housing groups, spokeswoman Sarah Toohey, stated that 740,000 renters and more than 380,000 mortgaged home owners are reporting significant financial stress. (smh.domain.com.au)
Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson, like many Australians, has become more aware of such issues as his adult children have entered the property market over the past few years.
He said that every parent becomes attuned to just how difficult it is for young people to buy into their first property when they compare their own situation of a generation past.
Thirty-five years ago, Mark Tronson said that he and his (then) fiancee were both able to purchase property in their early twenties as the economy of the seventies still sustained mortgages affordable by a single average household income.
It is a totally different picture today in the cities and larger regional centres where home purchasing remains a major hurdle for many young people.
But, Mark Tronson says, there is some light at the end of the tunnel for those who are not opposed to a sea change experience.
A coastal 'sea-change' that is affordable
Well-Being Australia's Laguna Quays Respite house is in the Carlisle Coast (Midge Point area of the Whitsundays), on the mainland of Queensland, close to the well known golfers' resort of Laguna Quays (which is now closed due to the down turn in the economy, meanwhile svereal Whitsundays Island resorts to have also closed).
One local Midge Point property developer is in the throes of building affordable housing on the Carlisle Coast on some 106 Midge Point town blocks and a little more expensive housing on various sub-divisions in the area. This developer sees the ever expanding mines as a draw card for families wanting minimal community living (away from the cities and regional centres) but within reach of supermarkets and convenience stores.
The Whitsundays airport is 20 minutes away, Proserpine is a 25 minute drive, Cannonvale's large supermarkets another 12 minute drive, whereas south to Mackay is a one hour and 10 minute drive. These drives are about the same time it takes to go from Sydney's outer suburbs to Sydney airport or the city's CBD.
A close inspection of real estate on-line sites recently revealed some real bargain prices in the realm of the lower $200ks for a three bedroom duplex in sight of the astonishingly beautiful blue waters of Repulse Bay.
Mark Tronson says there is 3G on-line access as well as land line ADSL internet access as many professional people today can work from their home office. There is a local school, SES, Bush Fire Brigade, a community tavern with published culinary acclaim, various community groups; and there is a good school bus services for high schoolers. The Whitsundays (Proserpine) airport is 20 minutes away.
Vision is part of being 'coastal and affordable'
A sea change can mean - "coastal and affordable" - says Mark Tronson, if people have the capacity to vision what may be, or have the type of work that can be activated by the internet, or willing to make something out of the multiple-hundreds of thousands of dollars they save from not buying in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or the larger regional centres.
"It is certainly the ideal location for the Well-Being Australia respite facility," says Mark Tronson. "We have had a steady stream of mission people enjoying their own 'time-out'."
Readers are invited to check out the Carlisle Coast and its affordable sea-change housing (the respite house area) www.carlislecoast.com.au
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html