Gen Y, Gen X & Boomers: who’s the highest property achiever?

Baby-Boomers acquired more resilience, and Millennials have the most resources.

But Generation X will reap the rewards of a better retirement lifestyle than other generations, new research reveals.

According to buyer’s agency Propertyology, people born between 1965 and 1980 are about to enter the best sweat-spot of their financial life, with an estimated 72 per cent of Gen X currently living in an owner-occupied home.

It means that, from an investment perspective, Gen X are the most active of the generations when it comes to property ownership, accounting for 39 per cent of Australia’s landlords.By comparison, Boomers account for only 20 per cent.

Currently aged 45 to 59 years, Gen X also represent 18 per cent of Australia’s total population (or 4.9 million people) and will be the next generation to exit the workforce, according to Propertyology’s Head of Research, Simon Pressley.

“Many gen Xers already have significant equity in real estate and are now best placed to deploy that equity,” he says.

“As the ‘nest’ at home progressively empties, higher disposable income will provide Gen X households with greater financial capacity to leverage into a bigger asset base.”

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Propertyology’s Head of Research, Simon Pressley says Gen X are about to enter the best sweat-spot of their financial life.

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Meanwhile, Millennials (or Gen Y) are found to receive the best ‘financial hand’ during their home ownership journey, of the three-generations reviewed.

They have better access to credit – home loans with as little as a five per cent deposit and, for some, the Bank of Mum-and-Dad.

On the other hand, Boomers had to overcome a 30 per cent deposit hurdle, significantly fewer product options and interest rates were often 10 per cent.

“With the superannuation guarantee rate being nine per cent or higher since 2002, Australian employers will contribute significantly more towards the retirement lifestyles of Gen Y than all previous generations,” Mr Pressley says.

“But, on the balance of probabilities, by the time they want to exit the workforce, the superannuation access age will be nudging 70.”

Analysis of ATO and ABS statistics by Propertyology suggests that an estimated 700,000 Gen Ys (people aged 29-43) are already property investors.

And 100,000 existing Australian landlords are less than 30-years old.

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Whilst Gen Y do have all of the resources, many have different habits to their predecessors.

Pressley says fewer place as much priority on futureproofing their lifestyle – hence making Gen X more likely to achieve a comfortable lifestyle.

An estimated 800,000 Millennial households are yet to accomplish property ownership, despite already having 20-years in the workforce.

For a high portion of Gen X’s, they grew up not being able to depend on their parents for financial support.

This inadvertently drove Gen X to become independent, self-motivated, to set goals and be disciplined.

“The kids from the era of Countdown and Atari video games grew up with compulsory household chores and juggling high school with a casual job. The early stage of their working life (1985-1995) was Australia’s worst economic conditions in 60-years, significant corporate and banking collapses.”

Propertyology’s report points out that, despite their contrasting conditions, every generation produced heroes, high-achievers, villains and victims.

“There are no tangible limitations stopping any individual from achieving whatever they truly set their focus on. Those who sow the most seeds now will rest on the best beaches in 10-20 years’ time,” Mr Pressley says.