143: Finding home with Lucinda Hartley

Serina sits down with award‑winning urban designer, housing expert and author Lucinda Hartley to unpack Australia’s broken path to home ownership — and why the old rulebook no longer works. Drawing on insights from her new book Finding Home, Lucinda explains why housing has become so unaffordable, how the Great Australian Dream was shaped by post‑war policy (and even anti‑communist sentiment), and why so many of us are still chasing a version of “home” that doesn’t match how we actually live today. Key Takeaways The Great Australian Dream was never about the quarter‑acre block — it was about housing security, and the story needs updating Australia now has the largest homes in the world, even as families get smaller Most people buy homes based on inherited expectations, not on how they actually live Space is often a design problem, not a square‑metre problem — and neighbourhood amenities can replace private space Lifestyle isn’t about décor; it’s about your daily routines, rituals and needs Buying on the fringe can work — but only if the infrastructure is committed, not just promised Home doesn’t have to be forever; thinking in chapters can make housing more affordable and flexible There are now innovative financial models for home ownership About the Author — Lucinda Hartley Lucinda Hartley is an award‑winning urban designer, housing expert and serial entrepreneur named one of Australia’s Top 100 Most Influential Women by the AFR. With 20 years’ experience shaping cities and neighbourhoods around the world, she has worked on major projects for Google, contributed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals for Cities, and co‑founded Zeroo Home Loans, an innovative equity‑growth model helping Australians access home ownership. Her new book, Finding Home, is a practical, evidence‑based guide to choosing a home that fits the life you want to live — not the outdated dream you’ve been told to chase.