When Carey Ciuro bought his first home in late 2023, he achieved something that can feel impossible for many young Australians. After saving for around six years, spending more than 18 months attending property inspections and auctions, and accessing "every [grant] that was pretty much available to me", he secured an apartment in inner Melbourne. The first year of living there was great, he said. He remembers being excited about home ownership after years of renting.