Home owners over 50 blamed for denying young families a backyard

If you’re on the wrong side of 50, feel guilty, very guilty.

You’re being held responsible for denying young families a big backyard, simply because you’re refusing to move on and downsize.

New population research reveals 50 to 60 per cent of free standing homes in the suburbs are occupied by a single person or couple aged over 50.

And those people, on average, stay in the house rattling around, well beyond 75.

Experts say the refusal of these people to move on, and sell their homes, is forcing next generation families to grow up in units, or townhouses.

But Bernard Salt, demographer from KPMG, told 3AW Breakfast it was always a matter of time.

He said owning a house with a big backyard wasn’t realistic in a major city.

‘It was really something quite unique to Melbourne,’ he explained.

‘It was always odd, always an outlier compared to any other global city.’

Click PLAY to hear Bernard Salt’s take on 3AW Breakfast