The rises and falls of the property market are dissected around the table during dinner parties while the popularity of reality TV shows that deal with people renovating their homes - to live in or sell - shows no signs of abating.

While the focus often seems to be towards the top end of the market, it's the bottom end that really seems to need our attention.

Read more: Only 16 affordable properties for rent in the Illawarra

According to research from Anglicare Sydney, it's almost impossible for those on low incomes to find a rental property they can afford.

The study looked at the 1268 properties that were available for rent in the Illawarra over the weekend of March 23-24 this year.

They found that just 16 of those properties were affordable and wouldn't place householders under rental stress, which occurs when people are forced to spend 30 per cent of their income on rent.

Just 16 - to save you doing the maths, that's only 1 per cent of all the rental properties.

People claim it can be hard finding a rental property as it is - imagine if you're looking for a place to live and 99 per cent of the houses and flats are out of your reach.

It gets worse when you take into account the report considered the Southern Highlands to be part of the Illawarra.

Take that area out and the sum total of affordable housing in the Illawarra was eight.

Not even in double figures.

And a single parent on Newstart or a similar government allowance could not have afforded any of those 16 properties.

Read more: Here's how much Illawarra house prices dropped in a year

Overall the availability of affordable housing for those really struggling to make ends met in the Illawarra has gotten worse.

In 2015 3 per cent of homes were deemed affordable, a figure that has slumped dramatically this year.

So maybe when you go home tonight, perhaps look up at the roof over your head and be thankful you are able to afford to have it there.

Because it seems there are plenty of people with little hope of affording one for themselves.