The downsizing cost traps awaiting Australian retirees – here are five reasons to be wary

This article debunks the myth of zero housing costs in retirement. The concept of zero housing costs in retirement is based on a 1940s view of a well-maintained, single dwelling on a single allotment of land where the mortgage has been paid off. This concept is incompatible with medium- and high-density housing and refusing to acknowledge ongoing housing costs may cause significant poverty for retirees.