A growing challenge facing Trinidad and Tobago is that many young couples, even with two incomes, are unable to qualify for a mortgage because house prices, land costs, interest rates, and the cost of living have risen much faster than salaries.
As a result, many are forced to remain living with their parents for longer periods or spend a significant portion of their income on rent rather than building equity through home ownership.
This delays family formation, reduces financial independence, and can have wider social and economic consequences.
If home ownership continues to move out of reach for young working families, policymakers, banks, and housing agencies may need to rethink affordability, financing options, and housing supply to ensure the next generation has a realistic path to owning a home.
Gordon Laughlin,
Westmoorings
