If we don’t fix the housing market, Sydney will lose its soul

July 17, 2026 — 5:00am

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Alongside State of Origin, Sydney’s roaring property market has been a favourite conversation starter with interstate friends for decades.

But Sydney’s owner-occupier rate has now slumped below 60 per cent, leaving us with little to brag about, since the decline is also dragging down the owner-occupier rate for the whole nation.

The drop is further proof that the Australian dream is slipping from the grasp of new generations of Sydneysiders, pushing many to abandon the state or remain at the mercy of a soaring rental market.

As the Herald’s Matt Wade reports, analysis by consultancy KPMG shows Greater Sydney’s owner-occupier rate hit 59.9 per cent in 2025, down sharply from 68.4 per cent........

© The Sydney Morning Herald