How Singapore and Australia Took Opposite Paths on Housing

As homeownership drifts further out of reach, governments are looking for new ways to help first-time buyers come up with the money. In Australia, economist Saul Eslake argues that letting buyers tap retirement savings or reduce down payments only puts more upward pressure on prices. In Singapore, economist Sumit Agarwal points to a very different system: mandatory savings there can be used for housing, but steep taxes discourage buying second and third homes. Through the experiences of first-time buyers Jordan Davies in Melbourne and Jeff Chie in Singapore, the story explores whether easier access to capital really helps people buy homes or simply makes housing even more expensive. (Source: Bloomberg)