The immediate solution to the housing shortage is fitting more people into existing houses, something that would also help with cost of living pressures.

This may require some of us to compromise our housing standards, at least temporarily until more homes can be built, but surely this is better than people living in tents or cars. But for those of us who own our home, there can be some hurdles for taking in a boarder.

Adding an extra person to your home could help tip the scales on your mortgage.Credit: Dionne Gain

Firstly, the thought of moving all the kids into one room so you can rent out the other to someone who is currently homeless may not sound attractive to parents, but the fastest-growing demographic of homelessness are women approaching retirement. A grandmotherly figure in a busy household could be a real bonus.

If you are a homeowner hit by high interest rates your problem is that the capital gains tax may end........

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