Surprise Aussies filling up sharehouses

Steve Beardon (left) has moved into a houseshare at age 64. Older Australians grappling with the cost of living and unaffordable home prices have been increasingly turning to sharehouses – often well into their sixties. It comes as data from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute showed an estimated 440,000 older households will be unable to find or afford suitable housing by 2031. AHURI estimates around two million older Australians are looking for alternative housing. This is expected to have significance for retirement as owning a house outright is a key predictor for financial stability in the twilight years of someone’s life. MORE: New gov scheme unlocking cash for renters Steve Beardon currently works as a bus driver on short contracts. Pictures: Supplied MORE: ‘Dopamine trap’: How daily habits cost you a house Sharehousing has jumped in popularity for Australians aged between 55 and 64 with a survey from Flatmates.com.au showing a six per cent increase from 2024 to 2025 – this was the highest rise among any age group. Steve Beardon is a 64-year-old who rents a sharehouse in Sydney. He said he had looked at moving to cheaper outer suburbs but found road tolls, le...