Property Investor Clashes with Squatter Activist in Fiery Housing Debate
A controversial squatter's rights activist who declared all landlords are "morally reprehensible" has been branded a "cry baby" by a prominent property investor in a heated exchange over housing affordability. Jordan van den Lamb, a candidate for Melbourne known for his Instagram page 'Purple Pingers,' warned it was only a matter of time before Australians turned against landlords in a fiery rant during a recent television debate.
Debate Over Housing as an Investment
The clash occurred on SBS program The Feed, where panellists were asked to discuss the statement: "Housing shouldn't be treated as an investment." Mr van den Lamb told the panel that investing in property was "morally reprehensible" and argued that no one should profit from what others need to survive. He gained headlines last year for urging followers to squat at "vacant" properties.
Buyer's agent Eddie Dilleen, who was also on the panel, strongly disagreed. He countered that if his family hadn't been able to rent a home, they would have lived on the streets. Mr Dilleen now owns over 180 properties despite a humble beginning in Mount Druitt.
'Cry Babies' and Sacrifice Claims
In comments to the Daily Mail, Mr Dilleen labelled socialists like Mr van den Lamb as "cry babies" who aren't prepared to make sacrifices to enter the property market. "There was just so much complaining," Mr Dilleen said. "They have all these ideas of how we should move to a communist kind of society where everyone gets given everything."
He argued that Mr van den Lamb and his followers are in no position to offer advice on success. "They have ideas about how the world should be, but if you can't even figure out how to succeed in your own life first, then what makes you think you would be able to figure out a way to change the world," Mr Dilleen stated. "They need to stop crying and figure out how to get ahead in life. If you can't even figure out how to buy a home, why are you telling me how society should be."
Sacrifices and Deposit Strategies
Mr Dilleen attributed Australians' struggles in the property market to many being unwilling to lower their standard of living to save for a deposit. "People are buying designer bags and going on holidays. If you want to get out of renting, then you need to sacrifice for at least a couple of years," he explained.
He cited examples of friends paying $900 a week in rent, advising they could opt for share houses at $300 a week or granny flats at $400 a week instead. "You need to be able to drop your lifestyle for a few years and put money away," Mr Dilleen emphasised. "At the end of the day, you only need a five per cent deposit to get into the property market. In Sydney, you can buy a unit for $600,000. That's only $30,000 for a deposit."
Risks of Low-Deposit Schemes
However, Australians using five per cent deposit schemes have been warned of dangerously high debt levels and potential default risks if the cost-of-living crisis worsens and cash rates continue to rise. New APRA data revealed loans with loan-to-value ratios of 95 per cent or more increased from $3.3 billion to $5.4 billion in the December quarter.
The scheme now accounts for a record four per cent of new owner-occupier loans. This surge coincided with the Albanese Government's October overhaul, which made the scheme available to all first-home buyers regardless of savings and income. Originally introduced by the former Coalition government, it was initially limited to low-income individuals and couples.
AMP chief economist Shane Oliver told the Daily Mail that the scheme encourages inexperienced buyers to take on unmanageable debt. "These buyers are getting in with much higher debt levels, and that risks more first-home owners running into trouble down the line," he warned.
Rising Property Prices
This debate unfolds as new PropTrack data shows home prices rose across every capital city in February, with the median price reaching $1,004,000. The Daily Mail has contacted Mr van den Lamb for comment, highlighting the ongoing tension between property investment advocates and housing affordability activists.
