I recently released a video called:
👉 I Want To Move Back To Australia… But The Housing Crisis Has Me Scared
It’s a slightly different tone from some of my other videos.
Less observational humour.
More reality.
Because this one isn’t about accents or goodbyes.
It’s about the quiet tension that sits underneath a lot of expat conversations right now:
“What if we moved home?”
And more specifically:
“Can we afford to?”
Why Australia Still Feels Like Home
If you’ve lived away from Australia for any length of time, you know the pull.
It’s not just beaches or weather.
It’s familiarity.
Shorthand.
It’s walking into a Bunnings on a Saturday and grabbing a snag without thinking about it.
It’s not having to explain yourself.
Home has a rhythm that lives in your nervous system.
And when you’re overseas long enough, that rhythm starts to echo louder.
For me, that’s been happening more recently.
But every time I allow myself to think seriously about moving back, one issue rises above the rest:
Housing.
The Reality of Australia’s Housing Crisis
Australia’s housing market isn’t just “a bit expensive.”
It’s structurally strained.
According to CoreLogic Australia, property values across major cities have surged significantly over the past decade, with Sydney and Melbourne consistently ranking among the least affordable housing markets relative to income.
https://www.corelogic.com.au
Rental markets have tightened as well. Vacancy rates in many areas have hovered near historic lows, driving up competition and prices — a trend widely reported by sources like ABC News Australia.
https://www.abc.net.au/news
This isn’t abstract data when you’re considering uprooting your life.
It’s practical.
It’s the difference between nostalgia and feasibility.
Buying in Australia: The Numbers Are Confronting
If you’ve looked at listings recently, you’ll know what I mean.
Sydney and Melbourne come with eye-watering price tags.
But even regional centres — places that once felt accessible — now carry serious financial weight.
That shift changes the emotional equation.
It’s not just:
“Do we want to move back?”
It becomes:
“Are we willing to trade financial stability for proximity?”
And that’s a harder question.
Renting in Australia: Competitive and Uncertain
Buying is one hurdle.
Renting is another.
In many cities, rental properties receive dozens — sometimes hundreds — of applications.
It’s not unusual to hear stories of families attending packed open homes, competing for properties that feel smaller and more expensive than expected.
That level of competition introduces uncertainty.
And uncertainty is uncomfortable when you’re moving internationally with children.
The Emotional Side of Moving Back to Australia
This is the part that doesn’t show up in property listings.
The emotional tension.
I have a home in the United States.
It’s stable. Predictable.
The thought of leaving that to re-enter a market defined by scarcity and competition is confronting.
At the same time, Australia is where my extended family is.
It’s where parts of my identity were shaped.
Not just geography.
It’s belonging.
Living overseas long enough changes how you see home. I’ve written about that shift in other contexts too — like noticing how accents begin to blur after years abroad:
👉 When Accents Start to Blur After Living Overseas
Distance doesn’t erase attachment.
If anything, it clarifies it.
But attachment doesn’t pay a mortgage.
Why This Isn’t a Rant About Australia
This video — and this reflection — isn’t about criticising Australia.
Housing pressure is not uniquely Australian. Many developed nations are grappling with affordability challenges.
It’s about acknowledging reality.
For many expats, returning home used to feel like an emotional decision.
Now it’s a financial one too.
And that shift changes the conversation.
Practical Considerations for Expats Thinking About Returning to Australia
If you’re in a similar position, here are a few things I’ve been quietly considering:
Research beyond the capitals.
Regional areas may offer more flexibility, though they’re not immune to price growth.
Consider a staged return.
Short-term renting — if available — can provide breathing room before committing long-term.
Run the numbers conservatively.
Assume higher expenses than you expect. Housing rarely surprises on the downside.
Separate nostalgia from logistics.
Missing home is real. But practical stability matters too.
The Bigger Question
The housing crisis doesn’t just affect first-home buyers.
It affects identity.
Mobility.
It affects whether “moving back” is a comforting thought or a viable plan.
For me, it’s not settled.
It’s an open question.
One I’m thinking through carefully.
If you’re wrestling with the same tension — between longing and practicality — you’re not alone.
I go deeper into it in the video here:
👉 Watch: I Want To Move Back To Australia… But The Housing Crisis Has Me Scared
Sometimes the hardest part isn’t deciding where you want to live.
It’s deciding what you’re willing to trade to live there.
Hoo roo, maties.