Property investment is not exclusive to a particular state

It is often described as the great Australian dream. The last census showed home ownership is still the norm for just over 65 per cent of Australians. But it is a dream that has been in steady decline, with the rate dropping by around 3 per cent since 2006. Unsurprisingly, the proportion of Australians now renting has increased in the same period, up from 21 per cent in 2006 to almost 25 per cent a decade later. Researcher Chris Martin at the University of New South Wales' City Futures Research Centre is one of the authors of a review looking at rental policy and trends in 10 other countries.

For sale sign at Tempe south of Sydney, Tuesday, June 5, 2012. (AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy) NO ARCHIVING Source: AAP