Regional politicians are turning into real estate agents to try to persuade struggling first-home buyers to go rural.
But the problem might be getting a job there, let alone a good-paying one - as Joe Hockey has advised young city-slickers hoping to break into the property market.
Nationals MPs are leading the charge of a "go rural" campaign, with deputy leader Barnaby Joyce promoting a house and land package in his NSW electorate of New England.
"In the country you can buy a house with a backyard on the salary you earn," he said.
Fellow Nationals MP Andrew Broad has invited home buyers to explore his north-west Victorian electorate of Mallee, where three-bedroom homes in Mildura go for an average $233,750.
People could avoid sky-rocketing house prices in Sydney and Melbourne and choose the country life with no traffic jams, and enjoy more sun than in Queensland.
"There really is no downside," Mr Broad said.
Meanwhile, Liberal MP Andrew Nikolic has put the "for sale" sign out for Tasmania where the average house price is $310,000.
Mr Nikolic says the $1 million-plus property prices of inner Sydney and Melbourne do not accurately reflect housing affordability in Australia.
"Not everyone needs to live in these expensive areas."
But some could find it hard to find suitable work to justify the move.
The unemployment rate in Tasmania is at 7.2 per cent, north-west Victoria 6.2 per cent and New England six per cent - the latter in line with the national rate.
Mr Joyce argues there are jobs in Tamworth, with 200 new positions in the meat industry announced this week.
The minister has moved his ministerial office to Armidale from Sydney, and is about to relocate four agriculture research agencies from Canberra to regional areas.
He used the housing debate to promote his decentralisation agenda.
"In the internet age there should be very few limitations as to which town that desk with the keyboard can be in."
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