Episode 6: Understanding strata's critical role in the Australian housing ecosystem with Kate McHugh and Michael Lovell

By 2050 half of Australians are expected to live in strata accommodation, yet most buyers do not fully understand what they are purchasing, and this lack of awareness sits at the centre of Australia’s strata education crisis.

As the housing crisis continues to deepen, strata developments have the potential to provide far more than a management framework by offering ways to increase urban density, strengthen communities and support sustainability

In this episode, I speak with Kate McHugh, Co-Founder and Engagement Lead at Strata Futures, and Michael Lovell, Senior Strata Development Consultant at Strata Dynamics, about how strata management can reshape communities and drive meaningful change in Australia’s housing ecosystem.

Here are key takeaways:

• The ownership illusion: Do you really own your apartment - or just the space inside it?
• The surprise costs: Are strata levies just fees, or are they investments that protect your property's value?
• The lifecycle pattern: How can strata adapt as people move from apartments to houses and back again, while balancing geography, building lifecycles and socio-economic pressures?
• The transparency gap: How can buyers and tenants make informed decisions when disclosure laws vary so widely between states?
• The uncomfortable truth: If spending a million dollars on any other asset requires sophistication, why is housing treated like a free pass?

The bigger picture

With 3 million additional strata units forecast across Australia’s capitals, this is not just about individual buyers, it is about the future of urban living and housing supply. .

Does getting it right requires:

• National consistency in strata regulations
• Recognition that strata is a legal construct of ownership, not a housing affordability solution
• Better education so buyers understand they are making an investment, not just buying a home

The industry reality check: We can't just build apartments and claim the housing crisis is solved without understanding what happens to those buildings after people move in.

Catch the full conversation here