[Brad Lockyer]

Older Australians are being encouraged to leave the country and rent out their homes to younger people in order to alleviate the housing crisis.

Real estate research group Suburbtrends told news.com.au a viable solution to the current situation would be for people aged 67 and over to rent out their properties while retiring overseas, which they say would unlock more than 100,000 homes.

Suburbtrends says the situation would be a “win-win” for everyone involved. Founder of Suburbtrends Kent Lardner says even just a small fraction of baby boomers renting out their primary homes could have a massive effect on housing availability.

“Our data shows that over 137,000 homes could be released into the rental market if just 10 per cent of the Rentirees cohort participated,” he said.

“This represents a substantial untapped resource that could drastically ease rental pressures.”

Sure the idea might work, but is asking older Aussies to straight up leave the country reasonable?

[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

Disgusting! What has this once wonderful country become, when anyone can even hint that older citizens should leave it to resolve a crisis that should never have been allowed to arise? A far better solution would be to STOP IMMIGRATION. Neither our housing nor our infrastructure capacity is adequate to cater to the vast numbers being allowed into the country by an irresponsible government I think is importing voters in the hope of retaining power that they do not deserve. Nor do we have the natural resources to support a huge population. Water, for example, is in limited supply in many places during the dry seasons that occur regularly.

Many have chosen to retire overseas, for a variety of reasons but often because they find it more affordable, which again is a condemnation of a nation that was, not so long ago, among the most prosperous in the world. Nobody should feel pressured or even encouraged to make that choice. Our government has failed us dismally. And this article is nothing more than confirmation of that hideous failure.

[Bakka]

This is another knee jerk idiot brain fart from Albo with typically no idea of the facts or consequences involved.
I should know because we ( wife and myself) did this for 3 years and while it was great living OS the reality is what happens longer term.
You loose your Residency Tax Status with all that goes with it…even worse if you run your own SMSF. Medical cover ( both OS and back in AUS) can be problematic. Disconnection from family band loved ones are issues for some .
Yes for some it’s great but for enough of us to free up that many houses it would frighten the daylight out of them once the initial honeymoon is over.

[David Ryder]

There is no mention of the PM in the article. Has Albo actually commented on this at all?
The only comments are from a group called Suburbtrends which is a greedy profit hungry real estate agent spinoff.

[David Ryder]

Is it? I can not find any comment on this from Albo or the government at all.

[David Watherston]

Why???
Why not 1year of youth conscription to provide a building labour force to work on land development (in communities within 2 hours of major centres) and construction of houses.
Why must the housing crisis be solved by building homes/units in already crowded cities.
After 120 years, maybe it is time to decentralise our population. Not all of Australia is on the coastal belts.

[Sue Bailey]

What about people like me, a single AP, renting?
How can I afford to go overseas and help the rental crisis of families needing more than a 2 bedroom unit?
I’m still waiting on the public housing list. It’s been 8 years now, and the list is ‘supposed to be’ 2-5 years.
I have family spread around NSW, and how am I supposed to get to see them if I’m not here? It would be a very lonely life for me without my family.

[FrankC]

I agree, cut immigration. This should hve been stopped years ago, when it brecame apparent that the country isn’t able to cope wqith over 200K p.a. as it was then, now it’s down to 150K, I can’t believe it, this is wwhat the housiong crisis is all about. We don’t have houses now, why bring more people into a country that doesn’t have the housing and infrastructure to go with it. Look at the health situation, going down the tube , especially in Tassie.

[almost a grey hair]

Remove stamp duty and i will downsize tomorrow like they did in NZ when they introduced gst
There is no way we will fork out 50 — 60 grand just for rubber stamping change of ownership papers which is all it amounts to

[[email protected]]

An ok idea. I actually already do this but I do not have a pension yet. As long as we do not have to declare the rent etc as income and affect our pensions etc. it’s a good idea. Hiring a carer is better and cheaper overseas. And go one step further. Asset tests on family homes for pensioners 🙂

[Author]

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