Tom Panos, auctioneer for The Block, says the vile online reaction to an Afghan family purchasing a $1.5 million home in Guildford, Sydney, reflects growing frustration among buyers priced out of the city’s overheated property market.
The four-bedroom home, valued at approximately $1.49 million per RP Data, was sold last Saturday. Panos shared the sale on X, describing the buyers as a “wonderful family” who immigrated from Afghanistan. The post went viral, triggering bitter comments questioning how recent migrants could afford such a property, with some alleging taxpayer or foreign government aid. One X post, viewed over 360,000 times, asked, “How does a family who just immigrated from Afghanistan afford a million-dollar property in Western Sydney?”
Panos told news.com.au that such racially charged comments surge during housing price spikes. “They don’t surprise me anymore; I see them weekly,” he said. “It’s less about racism and more about frustration with Australia’s housing crisis.” He explained that migrants often save diligently, living with extended family and working multiple jobs to secure a deposit.
Agent Steven Khawam, who facilitated the sale, called the family “humble” and deserving of their new home. He noted concerns about some buyers exploiting government support but clarified this family was not among them.
Sydney’s median house price is $1.58 million, up 3.8% in the past year. The Albanese government’s 5% deposit scheme, intended to aid first-time buyers, is expected to drive prices higher by increasing demand, despite economists’ criticism.
Australia’s migrant intake—315,900 net overseas migrants in the year to March, down from a 2023 peak of 518,000—has sparked tensions over housing and infrastructure, fueling anti-immigration rallies, some hijacked by neo-Nazis.
Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.
