“Let’s talk about housing affordability. Yes, the facts are that young people today may never own their own home or at least never be mortgage free. Yes, the facts are that young people today eat out and they do frequent this activity more often than previous generations. Yes, the facts are that we travel more, we buy more avocados and we like a good coffee. These things today aren’t just something that is done because people declare it as their “right” to do it and it’s the “hip” thing to do, but we are trying to soften the blow that the bigger milestones in life – such as owning our own home – is something we may never have.
Dramatic? Maybe. Think about it though – the reason we can’t afford a home, surely that can’t be because of the odd coffee? To put fuel in our cars costs more than it has before, studying costs more than it has before and the jobs we get after studying are often underpaying us for our studied knowledge. What about the lifetime debts that often accumulate from studying? For most, this presents the obvious that home ownership is out of the question.
Looking at articles regarding housing affordability in Australia alone has demonstrated the thoughts that majority of society, not just young people, carry nowadays regarding the ownership of homes. Why does this seem to be the case?
This large town of mine, three hours from Melbourne, six hours from Sydney and situated smack bang on the border on New South Wales, is booming with new homes and estates because of the buyer grants being the best options for first home buyers while the period and already established homes are becoming a less popular option.
As I work in the flooring industry, I see this everyday. How popular it is to build because of the price difference to buying existing and renovating. Many who would also like to sell and buy again are just choosing to stay in their current housing situations because they can’t afford the change.
Self-employed builders are also struggling. I have friends who have worked for themselves for years – one business went under and another is looking to open a business in hospitality because many people are choosing the big building companies that use the same plans and products in their self-bought estates. It’s not like we’re at the end of all affordable housing. Don’t get me wrong, there are houses out there and opportunities everywhere – they just aren’t quite as available like they used to be.
In the exercise of ‘throwing’ avocados at For Sale signs, I wanted to demonstrate in an almost satirical/pessimist way that somehow the two connect but really shouldn’t at all. Having my friend Molly in those photos too also helps in connecting the dots that this is with people. Not structure, not land, not growing food, but this regards people.
My photos also show the motion blur which I wanted. It makes them less boring and I think it helps them almost seem nostalgic or even that screen printed affect – everything is there but not quite where it’s meant to be.
It was fun, driving around and looking at houses for sale that we wouldn’t be able to buy but laughing about it because we had two avocados in the back and how could you want anything more than that?”
My 500 Words on Housing Affordability
GEORGIA 