Between an avalanche of Airbnbs, soaring house prices and the rise of van life, the prospect of home ownership barely registers on university students' radars.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That's not to say the University of Wollongong students the Illawarra Mercury approached are not engaged with the housing affordability crisis - quite the opposite.
The continued rise of house prices, the rise of inflation and potentially more interest rate increases, has left many uncertain about when they might be able to enter the housing market.
The coalition's housing policy announced on Sunday, which allows first home buyers to withdraw 40 per cent, or up to $50,000, from their superannuation for a house deposit, has 20-year-old Sophie McLean worried.
"I think young people aren't able to grow the savings to get even close to a deposit on a house."
"I think it's not fixing the problem, it's just creating and adding more demand because people will be able to access their super and use that to go and get into the housing market. It's just increasing the demand and there's still a massive lack of supply. It's not really fixing the problem, it's only making it worse."
"I can't imagine myself touching my super, but I can see how it's beneficial for people who want to get a house. I don't think it's effective in the long run."
UOW student Miss McLean works as a nanny and now lives in a cabin owned by her parents along Lake Illawarra. Previously, she paid rent to live in university accommodation.
"There's way more demand [of housing] than there is supply and with interest rates as high as they are and the population growth as high as it is - it just won't work if we continue going," Miss McLean said.
Teenager Alex Moore was even more strident in his opinion.
"It's not possible in this economy. Have you seen prices? Have you seen the wages that haven't gone up in forever? There's no chance," Mr Moore said.
"I don't know anyone under the age of 40, who doesn't have rich parents, that has a house."
As for the idea of using his superannuation to get into the market, the 18-year was equally vociferous.
"It doesn't make sense - for young people especially.
"I have zero dollars in my superannuation and people I know who are 30 have 20,000. In the context of a housing deposit - that's nothing."
Tyler Matthews isn't even considering home ownership right now.
"Absolutely not. I think that it's become too expensive with prices and everyone wants the 'van life' now," the 18-year-old said.
"They think they want the 'van life' for the views and the constant travelling, no one wants to be stuck in one place anymore."
