Helene Newson created the free flatmate-finding event after being forced into shared housing because she could no longer afford to live on her own.
Dozens of single women aged over 50 anxiously wait to meet their match at a Gold Coast cafe."This is speed dating for housemates," announces event host, Helene Newson.Ms Newson, who is a semi-retired interior designer in her 60s, stopped working after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020.With skyrocketing rents and a competitive rental market, she said she was forced to find a share house because she could no longer afford to live on her own.
In the final hour, they were given the opportunity to privately meet and connect with other participants."We haven't turned up on somebody's doorstep and thought, 'Oh yes, I like the look of this house, and you seem to be all right. So, I'll move in'.Ms Newson said attendance numbers could range from eight to 30 women per session."There's a lot of ladies who come on a regular basis that are still looking," she said.
"But after I went along to a couple of Helene's meetings, I realised that there were a lot of other ladies in the same boat as me and the idea became more palatable." "I just felt I was so lucky to have found what I have now, and I just wanted to help other ladies to find that as well."Real Estate Institute of Queensland chief executive Antonia Mercorella said it was encouraging and heartening to see such initiatives emerge in the midst of a rental crisis, given the fact that women over the age of 55 are the most at risk of homelessness.
Speed Flatmating Gold Coast Shared Accomodation Women Cost Of Living Rent Flatmate REIQ
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