Catherine Stewart Tauranga City Councillor

Affordable housing has been a challenge for generations. The demand for housing in Tauranga is soaring at the moment as many residents sell up their Auckland property and purchase a similar house here at a lower cost. For many Aucklanders, this leaves them with cash in the bank or mortgage-free.

It is more challenging for locals to buy in Tauranga as prices skyrocket. One way to get a foot on the ladder may be to look at house prices in the wider Bay of Plenty region.

Expectations are generally higher today than they were 40 years ago or in our grandparents' day. In years gone by people accepted they could not have everything new at once and second-hand furniture and appliances was often the norm rather than the exception for many first-home buyers.

Interest rates rose to more than 20 per cent in the mid-1980s, creating financial pressure on many families. Compare that to current interest rates on offer at 4.10 per cent.