Sep 8, 2026 – 3.06pmOne of the country’s highest-profile auctioneers says younger people are spending a fortune going out to dinner when they should be staying home and saving to buy their first property – in regional Australia.Damien Cooley, an auctioneer at Cooley Auctions, told The Australian Financial Review Property Summit that buyer sentiment was at a record low and changes made by the Albanese government in the federal budget in May were worsening – not improving – conditions for first home buyers.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles