From First Job to First Property

Five Journeys to Buying Your First Property in Australia in 2025

Owning a home remains the great Australian dream, but in 2025 it can feel out of reach for many young people. Housing prices have surged (the median home in Sydney now costs about $1.07 million, with Melbourne close behind at ~$802,000). Meanwhile, average full-time salaries hover around $100,000 (median incomes closer to $65,000), and rents have hit record highs (Sydney’s median rent is ~$770 per week, or ~$40k per year). Saving a typical 20% home deposit (often well over $100k) can take over 10 years for a household, assuming diligent saving. It’s no wonder many young Aussies feel locked out.

Yet, some are finding creative ways to break in. In this article, we follow five real-life journeys of young Australians – from students to migrants, regional and metro – who each found a path from their first paychecks to their first properties. Their stories, told in a conversational “How I Built This” style, reveal practical strategies: working part-time jobs early, side hustling, bunking with family to save on rent, leveraging government schemes and guarantors, buying in cheaper markets and using equity to upgrade, and more. While every journey is unique (and results will vary – always seek personal financial advice), these case studies show that with discipline, determination, and some savvy moves, the dream of home ownership is still achievable in 2025.

(Need help writing your own first-home story? Speak with a Fundd mortgage broker for personalized guidance.)

 

Journey 1: The Teenage Saver – Madison’s House-and-Land at 19
(Buying your first home in Brisbane, QLD)

In 2020, Madison Pickering stunned everyone by becoming a homeowner at just 19. Fresh out of high school in Logan (south of Brisbane), Madison had saved $30,000 for a deposit by herself – no small feat for a teenager. “Everyone I’ve spoken to is like, ‘How did you do that? Oh, your parents must have given you this money.’ No, parents haven’t given me a cent. This is everything I’ve worked for myself,” she said proudly.

How did she do it? Madison started saving at age 11, stashing birthday money and earnings from odd jobs. The moment she turned 14 (the legal working age), she grabbed a job at McDonald’s. Through her teens, she worked part-time and saved at least half of every dollar she earned. She even accelerated high school, finishing Year 11 early, and opted to work full-time instead of immediately attending uni. By 18, she had that $30k nest egg ready for a home deposit. Madison’s mum recalls her daughter talking about buying a house as early as age 16 – as soon as Madison knew she’d be eligible for a loan at 18, she “became very serious” about the goal.

The property: Madison purchased a house-and-land package in a new development at Pebble Creek Estate near Logan, about 50 km from Brisbane CBD. The price was around $300,000 for a modest three-bedroom house on her own block – far more affordable than Brisbane’s inner-city prices. Her first loan application was initially knocked back (at 18, lenders were wary), but she kept saving and tried again successfully. Building a new home also meant Madison qualified for government help: Queensland’s $15,000 First Home Owners’ Grant, plus a $25,000 federal HomeBuilder grant (a one-time building incentive during COVID) – an extra $40k boost that “made the journey that much easier”. Those grants, combined with her $30k savings, gave Madison a solid deposit and reduced her loan needs.

Steps & Timeline: Madison’s journey started with small steps early – earning pocket money and learning to save as a kid. Once she had a real paycheck at 14, she diligently put money aside from each shift. Over 4-5 years of part-time work (and one year of full-time work after high school), she amassed tens of thousands in savings. By 18, she was meeting with banks; by 19, signing contracts on her first home. She and her mum would drive out to the site weekly to watch the house progress, taking photos to time-lapse the dream coming to life.

Outcome: In the end, Madison moved into her new home before age 20 – an achievement virtually unheard of in her peer group. “I had enough for a deposit, and that’s all that matters,” she said, encouraging other young people: “You don’t need to have the entire price, you just need a really good deposit.” Her story shows that starting early with a part-time job and consistent saving can pay off big. By living at home during those years (thus paying no rent), focusing on her goal, and seizing grants, Madison proved age is no barrier to property ownership.

Takeaways – Madison’s Strategy:

• Start super early: Even as a high-schooler, she saved any income (birthday money, side gigs) and worked from 14 on. Compound interest and good saving habits from a young age gave her a head start.
• Ditch rent (if you can): Madison stayed with family until moving into her own house, avoiding rent and banking every spare dollar toward a deposit.
• Leverage incentives: Her timing let her stack a state First Home Owner grant and a one-time federal building grant, adding $40k “free” to her budget.
• Buy where you can afford: Rather than an expensive city apartment, she chose an affordable land package in outer Brisbane for ~$300k – a foot in the door of the market.
• Full-time focus: She even deferred university to work full-time at 17-18, boosting her savings rapidly. This isn’t for everyone, but in her case, it fast-tracked her goal.

Journey 2: Saving as a Team – Jordan and Remi’s First Home by 23
(Buying your first home in Lockyer Valley, QLD)

Jordan Cullinane (23) and Remi Krahenbring (25), a young couple from Queensland, proved that two determined savers are better than one. In 2021, they bought their first home – a newly built house on a block of land in Plainland (a town an hour west of Brisbane) – after saving a $60,000 deposit in just 10 months. Their journey was all about sacrifice and living with family to save every possible dollar.

Their strategy: Initially, Jordan and Remi thought about renting a place together. But seeing rental money as “paying off someone else’s mortgage,” they made a bold choice: move in with Jordan’s parents and funnel nearly all their income into savings. At 19 and 20 years old, they set a goal to buy a home in the area Jordan grew up (Plainland) and committed to it fully. While living with family, their expenses were minimal – they paid only a small board to her folks, plus personal phone bills and car costs. Every paycheque, the couple allowed themselves just $60 a fortnight for a “date night”; “everything else got saved,” Jordan says.

Thanks to two full-time incomes and almost zero living costs, the pair’s savings snowballed fast. In under a year, they amassed $60k – enough for a ~13% deposit on their future home. Notably, they did this without any cash handouts from family (aside from providing a roof). It was pure disciplined saving: skipping nights out, packing lunches, and embracing what they call a “frugal mindset.”

The property: Rather than buy an expensive established house, Jordan and Remi went for a budget-friendly approach: buy land and build new. In June 2021, they purchased a 510 m² block of land in Plainland for $167,000. It was an up-and-coming estate (Plainland Crossing), and prices were rising – in fact, just a day after they signed the contract, similar blocks jumped by $20k, and a few weeks later by another $20k, giving them instant equity. Using that equity and their savings, they secured a construction loan to build a modest three-bedroom house for $283,000. All-up, their first home (land + build) cost about $450,000.

By March 2023, their brand-new house was finished, just in time for the arrival of their first child. Walking through the door for the first time felt “surreal – to think, this is ours, we built this, we saved for this,” Remi said. At an age when many of their friends were still renting or living at home, they had a new home of their own, with a yard (albeit one that “needs work,” they admit) and a growing family to fill it.

Key steps: Their timeline was remarkably short. In late 2020, they moved in with family and laser-focused on saving. By mid-2021, not even a year later, they’d nailed the deposit and bought the land. They then spent the next 18 months working through the home construction (overcoming some builder hiccups and delays due to a hot building market). Patience paid off: by their early 20s, Jordan and Remi held keys to a place worth nearly half a million dollars – and they avoided paying a cent in rent during the process.

Outcome: Today, the couple are proud homeowners in a community they love. By living with family and making sacrifices (no takeout coffees or big holidays for a while), they achieved in one year what might take others a decade. “We didn’t want to rent because when you work out a year’s rent, how much are you paying off someone else’s house?” Jordan noted. Instead, they invested in themselves. Their story shows the power of family support and aggressive saving: not everyone has parents with space to move back in, but if you do, it can accelerate your path to a deposit dramatically. And buying in a lower-cost growth area gave them a foothold that’s already appreciating (their land jumped in value even before the house was built).

Takeaways – Jordan & Remi’s Strategy:

• Live at home (rent-free): By staying with family for 10 months, they saved what would have been ~$25–30k in rent and bills – boosting their deposit by tens of thousands.
• Two incomes, one goal: As a couple, they pooled earnings and motivation. They kept each other accountable, turning saving into a shared challenge (even “date night” was budgeted at $30/week).
• Sacrifice short-term luxuries: They dramatically cut discretionary spending – minimal eating out, nightlife, or shopping – for the sake of a bigger goal.
• Buy where it’s affordable (and growing): They chose an emerging regional market (Plainland) where prices were lower, but rising. This made their entry point feasible and even yielded quick equity gains.
• Build new to use grants (and avoid big repair costs): By building a new home, they likely benefited from Queensland’s First Home Owner Grant (which in 2021 was $15,000 for new builds) and got a brand-new, low-maintenance house tailored to their needs.

 

Journey 3: Hustle and Grow – Brittany’s Side Gig to Townhouse
(Buying your first home in Melbourne, VIC)

By the time Brittany McQuade turned 25, she had not only saved a deposit for her first home, but also built a business on the side. Brittany’s journey is a masterclass in entrepreneurial saving: she combined a full-time job with a clever side hustle – and some savvy budgeting – to purchase her first townhouse in Melbourne in her mid-twenties.

Background: Brittany grew up in Melbourne’s West (Williamstown) with a dream of buying her own place in her twenties. A self-professed “shopaholic,” she realized she needed a system to stop overspending on clothes and save more for a house. So at age 20, she came up with an idea that hit two birds with one stone: renting out her wardrobe. She started a side business called “Rent My Dress,” initially lending a few of her own dresses to friends for a fee. Over five years, that little venture blossomed into a substantial online rental business, with a growing inventory of dresses and steady income.

Meanwhile, Brittany worked full-time in her family’s confectionery business (earning a steady wage making and selling lollies). She set up a strict budgeting system: two bank accounts, one for spending and one exclusively for savings. She kept only $1,000 in her spending account at any time for routine expenses – if it dropped below $1k, she’d top it up, but anything above $1k of her paycheck went straight to savings. All income from her dress-rental side hustle went straight into the savings account as well. This approach let her enjoy life in moderation (she even took some holidays during those years, allocating separate funds for travel) while systematically growing her house fund.

Saving the deposit: By age 23, Brittany had amassed $66,000, roughly a 10% deposit on a property worth $660,000. Instead of rushing to buy the first thing she could afford, she strategically decided to buy off-the-plan in a new townhouse development nearby. Buying off-the-plan meant she could secure the price and pay a portion upfront, then have extra time (while the home was being built) to save the rest of her deposit and closing costs. In her case, after putting down the initial 10% ($66k) to exchange contracts, construction delays (partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic) pushed completion out by over two years. Brittany used that time well – she continued working and saving, and by settlement she had another $66k ready, allowing her to increase to a 20% deposit total (avoiding Lenders Mortgage Insurance).

The property: Brittany bought a two-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouse in a new Mirvac development near her family home. The purchase price was around $660,000. She loved the location (just 8 minutes from her mum and dad) and the fact that it was brand new. There were risks – she’d heard horror stories of off-plan buys where developers went bust – but she chose a reputable builder and it paid off. By 2021 (when she was 25), the townhouse was finally complete and ready to move in. This was Brittany’s first time moving out of home, but she wasn’t going far – living at home until then had helped her save, and now she was only a short drive away for a quick visit or a home-cooked meal!

Stepping into her very own place, Brittany immediately saw it not just as a home, but an extension of her business and a stepping stone to more. She set up the townhouse’s garage as a studio for Rent My Dress clients to try on outfits, blending her investment with her income stream. And she didn’t plan to stop at one property: “My goal is to live in it for a year, then hopefully buy another house. I want to grow my property portfolio – this is like a stepping stone,” she said, already eyeing turning her first home into a rental and moving on to the next project.

Outcome: Brittany’s case shows how entrepreneurship and discipline can accelerate a first home purchase. By 25, she owned a beautiful new townhouse in Melbourne, purchased entirely with her own savings and earnings. She balanced enjoying life with aggressive saving through her two-account system, proving you don’t necessarily have to give up everything if you budget smartly. Importantly, she also demonstrated patience – waiting a couple years for her off-plan home to be built – which allowed her to avoid costly LMI and enter homeownership on solid footing.

Takeaways – Brittany’s Strategy:

• Start a side hustle: Brittany’s dress rental business turned her shopping habit into an income source. Those extra dollars made a big difference – side gigs like freelancing, online businesses, or gig economy work can accelerate your savings.
• Use a dedicated savings system: Automating her budget (maintaining a fixed $1k spending float and sweeping the rest to savings) forced her to “pay herself first.” It created a psychological barrier to overspending.
• Live with parents a bit longer: She stayed at home until 25, which, like our previous story, helped immensely. No rent for those early career years meant she could direct her salary toward a deposit (while still enjoying the occasional trip).
• Consider buying off-the-plan: This isn’t for everyone, but in Brittany’s case it locked in a price and gave her 2+ extra years to save the remainder of her deposit. (Do your homework on the developer’s reputation and be aware of risks.)
• Think long-term: From the get-go, Brittany treated her first home as an investment, not just a home. She tailored it to support her business and planned to use it as leverage (through rental income or equity) for future purchases. Having a forward-looking strategy can make your first property a springboard to financial growth.

 

Journey 4: The 5% Solution – Sara and Pedro’s First Apartment with Minimal Deposit
(Buying your first home in Sydney, NSW)

For many young Australians, especially migrants, Sydney’s property market is daunting – high prices, fierce competition, and often no family safety net. Sara (30) and Pedro (30) are a married couple who moved from Brazil to Sydney in 2022. Despite arriving with little local credit history or family support, within about two years they bought their first home: a two-bedroom apartment in Sydney’s west. How? By taking advantage of a low-deposit scheme and adjusting their expectations of the “perfect home.”

Their story: Sara and Pedro landed in Australia with big dreams and a background understanding that homeownership back in Brazil was even tougher. “In Brazil, it’s way harder to buy property even though it’s cheaper – the down payment you have to make is way bigger,” Sara explains. In Australia, they discovered to their surprise that first-home buyer programs could allow them to purchase with as little as 5% deposit. That became their target.

Both found stable jobs (Sara works as a research manager) and immediately began living frugally to scrape together a deposit. By late 2023, they had saved just 5% of a property price – a modest sum by Sydney standards (for example, 5% of a $700,000 unit is $35,000). That was enough. They qualified for the federal First Home Guarantee scheme, meaning the government would guarantee the loan’s remainder so they didn’t need a 20% deposit or pay LMI (since neither of them had parents here to act as guarantors). “Only needing a 5% deposit and being able to access the first home buyer scheme makes it a lot easier,” Sara said of their decision to jump in.

The couple’s home search was relatively short – though not without its challenges. Shopping in Sydney in 2024 meant competing with investors and higher-income buyers, and sometimes feeling ignored by real estate agents as young, first-timers. But they stayed focused on finding something that met their needs without stretching beyond their means. They honed in on a newly built apartment by a Japanese developer that Sara had researched and felt confident in. When a unit in that development came up within their price range, they pounced quickly and secured it. They “fell in love” with the two-bedroom apartment – it wasn’t in the ultra-trendy suburb of their initial dreams, but it was brand new, solid quality, and entirely theirs.

The finances: By using the First Home Guarantee, Sara and Pedro could buy with only 5% down. For example, if the apartment cost around $600,000 (just for illustration), they put in ~$30k and the scheme covered the equivalent of a 15% deposit to satisfy the bank. This kept their upfront requirement low and allowed them to buy much sooner than if they had to save $120k (20%). They did have to budget for other costs like stamp duty or legal fees, but NSW offers stamp duty concessions for first-home buyers under certain price thresholds (they may have benefited from that if eligible). They were also ineligible for most family assistance (“Bank of Mum & Dad”) that many peers use – but happily, they found they didn’t need it. (In fact, nearly 60% of young buyers nationally do get parental help or gifts, but Sara and Pedro bucked that trend.)

Outcome: By 2024, Sara and Pedro held the keys to their own Sydney apartment. Despite media narratives of how impossible it is, they found the process was more accessible than expected – thanks to their savings discipline and the government guarantee. “We had to compete with rich investors for every property, but… we found it doable,” Sara noted. In their home country, they might have needed 30%+ down, whereas here “only 5%” sufficed. Owning a home also gave them peace of mind and a sense of belonging in Australia, something especially meaningful as newcomers. They’re now building equity with each mortgage payment instead of paying high Sydney rents (which average $750+/week). And by choosing a new unit slightly outside the city bustle, they struck a balance between affordability and quality of life.

Their journey underscores the importance of researching assistance programs and being flexible. By aiming for “good enough” rather than a forever dream home, they got their foot in the door without waiting forever. As permanent residents and first-home owners, they’ve cemented their future in Australia.

Takeaways – Sara & Pedro’s Strategy:

• Leverage government schemes: They used the First Home Guarantee to buy with 5% down. Programs like these (or state first-home grants/stamp duty exemptions) can significantly lower the upfront barrier. It pays to see what you qualify for.
• Don’t be afraid to start small: They didn’t insist on a house with a backyard or a chic inner-city address. A small new apartment met their needs and budget. Getting some property is often better than waiting while prices climb out of reach.
• Compete smartly: As outsiders to the Aussie market, they did extra homework – researching developers, market prices, and being ready to pounce with finance pre-approved. This helped them beat the competition on a good unit.
• Independence is possible: While many peers rely on parental help, they proved a diligent couple can do it alone. They saved aggressively for two years, lived within a tight budget, and created their own “bank” of Mum & Dad through hard work and frugality.
• Think globally: Their perspective as migrants actually helped – compared to Brazil’s requirements, Australia’s lending system (even with its challenges like foreign buyer fees or residency rules) seemed accessible. Sometimes appreciating that it could be even harder fuels the motivation to seize the opportunity available.

Journey 5: No Rent, No Worries – Sam’s Stepping Stone in Perth
(Buying your first home in Belmont, WA)

Our final journey is about compromise and timing. Sam Nielsen, 28, from Perth, spent the better part of his twenties trying to get into the market. After years of saving in fits and starts – and watching rents skyrocket – he decided it was time to buy whatever he could afford, even if it wasn’t his dream home. In 2024, Sam purchased a 2-bedroom apartment in Belmont (Perth’s inner-east) for $363,000. It was a basic unit, not in his ideal suburb and “pretty small,” but as Sam put it, “It got me into the property market… if I don’t purchase what I can now, I never will.”

The journey: Sam had been saving on and off for 10 years since he was about 18. Life happened – sometimes he’d dip into savings or take breaks (a familiar story for many young people). By his late 20s, he was working as a call-centre manager and had managed to accumulate a decent amount. However, Perth’s housing market was heating up, and rent was becoming painful. He was paying about $500 a week in rent for a place he liked, but as the rental crisis worsened, he saw that “now for $500 a week you get nothing” decent on the market. In fact, Perth’s median rent hit ~$670/week in 2024 – meaning renting a modest apartment could easily cost over $2,600 a month. Sam crunched the numbers and realized that with low interest rates earlier and even with higher rates now, owning might cost roughly the same as renting for him, especially if rents kept climbing. This lit a fire under him to buy.

Finances and strategy: Over the years, Sam had also been investing in shares aside from just saving in cash. When he was ready to buy, he sold his entire share portfolio and combined it with his savings to maximize his deposit. By doing so, he almost had the 20% deposit typically required. In the end, he was just shy, but he utilized the First Home Owner Guarantee (similar to Sara and Pedro’s strategy) to “get over the line” without paying LMI. This indicates he likely put down something like 15–18% of the purchase price and let the government scheme cover the gap to 20%.

With financing sorted, Sam went for an entry-level property he could comfortably afford on his single income. He bought in Belmont, an area a few suburbs away from Perth’s CBD known for being more affordable than trendier neighborhoods. The $363k price tag was within his reach, whereas freestanding houses or apartments in prime areas would have been far beyond. He did have to lower his expectations – it wasn’t the spacious home or cool neighborhood he might have once envisioned. But it was clean, modern, and entirely his. Importantly, it meant no more rent. Every week, the money that used to disappear to a landlord now goes towards his own mortgage equity. With interest rates in 2025 around 5-6%, his mortgage on $363k might be in the ballpark of $500 per week – roughly what he was paying in rent anyway, but now with the benefit of ownership (and the potential for capital growth).

Sam admits he wished he’d started saving seriously earlier. “I wish I’d focused more on my future in my early 20s – put at least 5–10% of each payslip aside, instead of prioritising travel,” he reflects. But hindsight is 20/20. The important thing is that he did eventually knuckle down and make it happen. By cutting out some leisure spending and reallocating his investments into a home, he achieved his goal before hitting 30 – which is actually slightly ahead of Australia’s average first-home buyer age of 35.

Outcome: Sam’s story is one of perseverance and realism. He didn’t have anyone to bail him out or gift him a deposit; it took a decade of working and gradual saving to get there. But by being pragmatic about what and when to buy, he turned a tough situation (renting during a rental boom) into an opportunity to own. Now, he has a foothold in the property market – a tangible asset that can appreciate over time. As Perth’s property values increase (Perth saw some of the nation’s strongest growth in 2023–24), Sam’s small apartment could well be worth more in a few years, building equity he can later use to upgrade to a bigger home. In the meantime, he has security: no sudden evictions or landlord surprises, and the pride of having a place that’s truly his.

Walking into his compact two-bedder for the first time, knowing it was bought with years of his own hard-earned money, was “rewarding,” Sam says. It wasn’t flashy, but it was a start. And sometimes the first step onto the ladder is the hardest – once you’re on, the next rungs come a bit easier.

Takeaways – Sam’s Strategy:

• Know when buying beats renting: Pay attention to the rent vs. mortgage math. In Sam’s case, rising rents ( ~$2,000+ per month for a basic unit) made owning comparable in cost. If your rent would essentially cover a mortgage, that’s a signal to investigate buying, if you can swing the deposit.
• Use all resources for the deposit: He liquidated his investments (shares) to bolster his deposit. While selling investments can have trade-offs, a higher home deposit can save you LMI and interest over the long run. Sam prioritized real estate as the investment he cared about most.
• Take advantage of low-deposit support: By using the First Home Guarantee, he didn’t need the full 20% down. Even without family help, schemes like that can act as your “guarantor” and let you buy sooner – crucial in a rising market.
• Adjust your expectations: Sam bought a smaller, less “cool” property than he initially wanted. This humility paid off – it got him in the game. Starter homes aren’t forever homes; they’re a start. You can always trade up later, but you can’t go back in time if prices leave you behind.
• No shame in waiting until you’re ready: Though he wishes he’d started earlier, Sam’s journey shows it’s never too late to get on track. Even if you hit your goal a bit later than some, what matters is formulating a plan and executing it when you can. In his case, that meant buckling down in late twenties – and it worked.

Your Journey, Your Strategy

Each of these five journeys – from a teenager in Brisbane flipping burgers and saving pennies, to a couple in the Valley bunking with parents, to a side-hustling entrepreneur in Melbourne, migrants in Sydney, and a determined saver in Perth – highlights a different strategy to climb the property ladder. There’s no single “right” way to buy your first home. You might mix and match these approaches: work part-time through school, get a roommate or live with family to cut costs, pick up a side gig, or consider buying in a cheaper area as a first step. Data shows most first-home buyers today utilize some assistance, whether that’s government programs (grants, low-deposit guarantees) or the “Bank of Mum and Dad” – over 60% now get family financial help. If family help isn’t an option, government schemes and personal sacrifices become even more important, as our stories demonstrated.

It’s also clear that patience and discipline are vital. The average Aussie first-home seeker in 2025 faces high hurdles: big deposits, high living costs, and banks tightening lending. But as we’ve seen, real people are still succeeding by planning ahead and often making short-term sacrifices for long-term gains. Whether it’s skipping nights out, selling that extra car, moving back home for a year, or saying “yes” to a job opportunity in a regional town with cheaper real estate – those choices can shave years off your saving timeline. And remember, property markets ebb and flow. Interest rates might feel high now, but they’ve begun to soften savings rates (around 1.5% interest on many savings accounts means money in the bank barely keeps up with inflation). Real estate, while not guaranteed, tends to grow over time; getting in when you can often beats perfectly timing the market.

Disclaimer: These case studies are specific examples, not guarantees. Your own journey will depend on your income, location, spending habits, and a bit of luck. Results will vary, and it’s important to make decisions based on your personal financial situation, ideally with professional advice. Always do the math and consider consulting a licensed financial adviser or mortgage broker to map out what’s realistic for you.

If you’re feeling inspired (or just a bit less overwhelmed) by these stories, remember that behind every successful home purchase was a plan. Crafting your plan is the first step. That could mean drawing up a budget, talking to family about support, researching if you qualify for a 5% deposit scheme or a guarantor loan, or exploring neighborhoods you hadn’t considered. The sooner you start, the sooner that “great Australian dream” can become your reality.

Ready to start your own journey from first job to first property? It helps to have experts in your corner. Speak to a mortgage broker from Fundd to explore your options, crunch the latest numbers, and get a game plan tailored to you. There’s no one-size-fits-all – but with the right strategy, your name could be on a set of house keys sooner than you think. Good luck, and happy home-buying!

Sources:

1. Nagel, J. (2018). Queensland teenager proves age is no barrier after buying first home at 19. A Current Affair – 9News.
2. Cumming, S. (2024). Young couple reveal how they bought their first home amid housing crisis. ABC News.
3. McQuade, B. (2019). First Home Buyers: How Melbourne entrepreneur’s side hustle helped her buy her first home. Nine Property.
4. SBS News (2023). The first-home buyers who bought a home without the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’.
5. Owens, E. (2024). Housing affordability declines further in 2024: ANZ-CoreLogic report. Money.com.au Mortgage Report.
6. CoreLogic (2024). Record high rents across Australian cities. CoreLogic Pulse.
7. 9News Finance (2025). Savings accounts interest vs inflation. (Mark Zukerman commentary).
8. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2025). Average Weekly Earnings, Nov 2024; Westpac report on first-home buyer support. (Median income and parental assistance data.)