Influencer Abbey O’Hagan reveals housing issue impacting single Aussies

A young woman has gone viral for revealing the brutal reality of being a single person living in Australia.

Influencer Abbey O’Hagan just discovered that living alone may not be an option for her anymore - and it isn’t for many other singles, too.

Ms O’Hagan, 24, lives on her own in Brisbane and pays $500 for the pleasure. To afford her hefty rent she works full-time as a social media and PR manager and is a successful influencer with over 70,000 followers on Instagram.

A few years ago, she would have easily been able to afford her own place, but now, living alone is becoming increasingly impossible for her – a fact she shared on social media.

In a video that has been viewed over 100,000 times, Ms O’Hagan said her rent has increased by $100 per week.

As she lives alone, she has no one to share that financial burden with, and this reality has left her horrified.

“I basically have two weeks to figure out what I’m doing and I just don’t even know what to do,” she said.

Ms O’Hagan said her rent has increased by $100. Picture: TikTok/abbey_ohagan

She’s said she’s struggling to find somewhere affordable. Picture: TikTok/abbey_ohagan

The response to her video was mixed.

While plenty of people in the comment section commiserated with O’Hagan’s situation, others were quick to remind her that living alone in 2024 just isn’t an option for many young people.

Someone said that she can’t afford to be “picky.” Another said that “no one lives on their own anymore,” and one person advised her to get a housemate.

Rents in Australia have continued to soar in 2024 and according to Rent.com.au the national median rent for just a room has increased by 16.03 per cent.

The response to her rental issue was mixed. Picture: Instagram/abbey_ohagan

Her Instagram followers total 70,000. Picture: Instagram/abbey_ohagan

O’Hagan told news.com.au that she found some of the feedback frustrating, especially comments that told her to get a housemate or move into a sharehouse.

“People can say, ‘Just get a roommate,’ but no one has an idea of that person’s situation, what they suffer from, or how living alone is truly the best option for them,” she said.

After looking online at other housing options, she still couldn’t find one that was within her price range.

“Why is there not one single apartment for someone that wants to live on their own and have a carpark? Why is that so impossible?” She asked.

The PR manager said that after checking she realised she earns a salary higher than average in Brisbane, but still couldn’t find somewhere within budget that was “liveable”. She also shared that paying $600 a week in rent as a single person is tough.

“I love living here and the thought of leaving is really depressing,” she said.

Ms O’Hagan’s rent gripe resonated deeply with some of her followers, especially fellow single women who are also struggling to find affordable housing.

“Single women living alone or with kids are the most vulnerable category in the current climate,” one argued.

“This happened to me too. I was telling my boss about it, and she said, ‘Why don’t you get a roommate?’ For f**ks sake,” another vented.

“Same over here. Last increase was 20, this one is 80. It’s absolutely ridiculous and impossible as a single person,” one explained.

While one commenter said that the “single living tax” is the “worst.”

Ms O’Hagan’s rent gripe resonated with fellow single women. Picture: Instagram/abbey_ohagan

Despite working full-time, living alone is becoming too expensive for her. Picture: Instagram/abbey_ohagan

According to real estate agent Braden Walters, single people are being priced out of the rental and buyer’s market at a rapid pace.

“There aren’t many properties that are affordable for single people. Share housing is becoming more common,” he added.

Mr Walters also said he noticed a trend of single people not being able to snap up a one-bedroom apartment, whether to buy or rent, until they’ve partnered up.

“Basically, they are staying in house shares until get together with someone,” he explained.

The real estate agent said that single buyers have become practically “non-existent” too, while couples are almost always buying one bedrooms.

“We are only seeing couple’s paired together, with dual income, able to make the repayments,” he said.

Single renters and buyers are being priced out. Picture: Instagram/walters_braden

Even statistics support how difficult it is to be single during a rental crisis.

Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker revealed that 81 per cent of single people are somewhat or extremely stressed about housing costs, compared to 74 per cent of those who are partnered.

Money expert Graham Cooke said that despite the rising cost of housing, people still want to live alone.

“The desire for independence and privacy is still strong, so living alone might not be a disappearing trend. However, factors like economic conditions and housing affordability could influence choices,” he said.

Mr Cooke advised that living alone involves more than the cost of rent.

“In some areas, a comfortable living situation might be achievable on a modest income, but sharing living expenses tends to make a high cost of living more affordable,” he said.