When I left home at 17, moving out wasn't a carefully considered financial strategy — it was a rite of passage. Today, that transition looks very different for many young New Zealanders.

Across the country, more young adults are staying home for longer, and not just while studying. Many are working full-time. Living with the family has shifted from a short stop between university and "real life" to a deliberate financial decision. And honestly? It's entirely understandable.

When is the right time to buy a property?

The financial environment young people are stepping into is tougher in ways that go beyond just high rents. Previous generations didn't grow up with the constant visibility of social media — the endless scroll of what others are buying, upgrading, or doing next. The cost of fitting in has escalated alongside everything else.

But this may not be purely about money. Almost every major milestone is happening later than it once did. Marriage is later. Parenthood is later. Buying a home is later. It should perhaps be no surprise that leaving home is later too.

What does this shift mean for the market?

From a property market perspective, this is where it gets interesting. Rental stock on realestate.co.nz has been trending upward for more than 18 months. Economists are signalling that property value growth won't continue at the pace of recent decades. Is a broader delay in young people entering the market a contributing factor?

When the timing of independence shifts, markets shift with it — and that's something worth paying attention to.

Read the full story here: thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360958033/opinion-delayed-independence-and-what-it-means-our-housing-market