Jo Raphael: First-home buyers need to lower expectations 17 Mar, 2021 08:00 PM 3 minutes to read I sometimes wonder if people's expectations of getting on to the property ladder are over-inflated. Well-appointed chef's kitchens, sculleries, ensuites and internal garages may be the gold standard, but for first-home buyers these amenities may be just out of reach - a few rungs higher up the ladder. Read More That's extra – on top of what they previously needed. Value can be added to lower-quality properties. Photo / Getty Images It's news that makes one 19-year-old, who has the aspirational hope of buying her own home by the time she turns 25, think about moving to Australia for a better chance of home ownership.