Prospective first home buyers may have been heartened by Labor's promise of a scheme to help 10,000 people in regional areas get into their first home.
Towns around the country have seen house prices surge over the pandemic.
The scheme would allow buyers to put in just a 5 per cent deposit with the government guaranteeing the rest of the 15 per cent so the borrowers could avoid being hit with thousands of dollars in lender's mortgage insurance.
The opposition have tapped into an issue that is on the front of our minds, according to a Property Council of Australia survey which found more than 70 per cent of voters were fearful younger Australians will not be able to buy a house.
But don't get too excited.
Australian Community Media economics reporter Gerard Cockburn has warned that the first home buyer's scheme could actually make the affordability problem worse.
How? Well, by having more first home buyers flooding the market with ultra-low deposits, there will be more competition, driving prices even higher. The scheme won't help increase the supply of housing either.
Add to that looming interest rate hikes, people accessing the scheme could find themselves taking on debt over their capacity and even push them into negative equity if property prices fall.
Speaking of hot property, have you considered just how hot your home is?
Trees could make all the difference to keeping suburbs cool, but new housing subdivisions, smaller yard and a dependence on air conditioning has led to a 30 per cent decline in residential trees.
The result is hotter neighbourhoods and higher energy costs.
Researchers from the University of South Australia found trees in residential gardens, especially deciduous trees, are very effective in solving the heat and energy problems and have recommended national planning policies to mandate the inclusion of trees in any development or housing design.
Of course another reason to plant deciduous trees is their glorious colours in autumn.
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