In general, Australians prefer to own rather than rent their home. They also prefer it to be a house with land and a car space, rather than an apartment with a bike rack. Our desire to live this way is so profound that it has an expression in popular culture; “living the Australian Dream.”

The problem for many, especially Gen Y and younger, is that this dream is increasingly distant. In 2016, we led a consumer-facing research and insights report for Australia’s largest home loan lender to provide information and inspiration to people Australia-wide considering buying a home. The report combined CommBank’s vast experience as Australia’s largest provider of home loans with Right Angle’s expert local and global knowledge and research on the future of housing. It explained how the property market is changing, what opportunities and challenges may lie ahead and the potential steps property buyers can take to make the dream of owning a home a reality.

Upon reflection, perhaps the most interesting aspect of this report is just how many of our forecasts on future housing models have already become a reality or even commonplace in the few years since it was produced. We now work with multiple co-living and build-to-rent operators, modular housing construction companies, investment banks and funds management companies all trying to create places that feel like a home regardless of the ownership model.