Live: Are you priced out of a home? Australians share their stories

Australians everywhere are grappling with a tight housing market, whether trying to find an affordable rental, meet the next mortgage repayment or downsize into a smaller home.We want to hear your stories and experiences in our live blog below, where you can also put your questions to Tom Alves from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and Cotality's Gerard Burg.Fri 14 Aug 2026 at 11:31amFri 14 Aug 2026 at 11:31amWelcomeHave you ever struggled to find a rental, or been forced into a cheaper one? Have you recently cracked into the property market? And if so, how did you do it?Or maybe you're a retiree wanting to downsize, and realising it doesn't stack up financially.My name is Annabel Bowles, I'm here with my colleague Fergus Gregg, and we want to hear from you on all things housing affordability.We have two experts with us for the next few hours — Tom Alves from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and Cotality's head of research Gerard Burg. You can submit your questions in the field above and they'll be here to answer them.We're also keen to hear your stories and experiences around how housing insecurity has shaped your life.Whether you're living with your parents in your 30s or eating beans on toast to make your next mortgage repayment, let us know what life looks like for you.