Real Money, a free weekly newsletter giving expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money, is sent every Sunday. You’re reading an excerpt − sign up to get the whole newsletter in your inbox.

I had an enlightening and horrifying chat with a very clever 20-year-old woman the other day.

Despite the fact the government was already set to open up to every first homebuyer the ability to buy with just a 5 per cent deposit (on Monday of last week, it just brought the changes forward by three months), the young woman said this:

“I don’t know anyone, there is not one of my friends, and I know about 5000 people, who is saving for a house. We all think we’ll never be able to afford one so why would we bother?” she said.

Your kids’ main money lessons – and modelling – will come from you.Credit: Aresna Villanueva

I had two immediate thoughts:

The woman articulated what I’ve witnessed a lot while addressing graduating high school students: total despondency and disengagement about ever owning a home.

As in, young Aussies feel defeated before they’ve begun.

Firstly, with property prices as high as they are, it’s time we acknowledge that owning a home may not be the silver bullet it used to be. But that’s with the careful caveat that housing insecurity is real and a risk for which........

© Brisbane Times