YouthFest 2025: Buying property in your 20s is more achievable than what you think, experts say

• EdgeProp Malaysia hosted its first YouthFest, offering a platform for the young Malaysians to engage with their home-buying experience.

KUALA LUMPUR (April 20): Buying a property in your 20s might sound like a distant goal, but experts point out that as the market evolves, the accessibility to own a property is better than in the past.

EdgeProp Malaysia hosted YouthFest 2025 on Saturday, April 19, at A Place Where (APW), in Bangsar. Free and accessible to all, the event creates space for young people to ask questions, connect with peers, and gain a clearer understanding of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

The festival invited industry experts and next-gen creators to share their insights on market trends and financing skills, drawing significant attention from participants who are navigating financial planning at a young age.

Is buying a home still a dream or just a pressure? That’s the issue the event aims to highlight in the first panel session, titled “Navigating Societal Norms: What no one told you about buying a home in your 20s”.

You might always hear your parents saying: “Buy a property as soon as possible, especially since property prices are continuously rising.” Afraid of experiencing the “fear of missing out” (FOMO), young homebuyers are finding the mindset of having a roof over their heads as a key life goal, struggling to achieve their dream home when they enter society.

But are these societal norms facts or just myths?

The psychological and social drivers behind young homeownership aspirations

“What you experienced in your childhood will affect your money investment mindset. This is related to our home-buying behaviour. For example, if your parents told you when you were a kid that you needed to save to buy a house, then when you get older, you will likely work hard and save money to buy a house,” HELP University applied psychologist Dr Rachel Wong said.

Sharing his own life experience, Lee Ji Yong, a 25-year-old property owner, said that he didn’t experience any pressure from his family, but rather more from peer pressure on social media.

“I think young homebuyers nowadays cannot stay away from social media; that’s the reality. People like to share that they’ve bought a property, and this sharing indirectly triggers our emotion not to feel left out in owning one,” he said.

The advantage of progressive billing

Some of you might think that buying a property at a young age has a high initial cost, especially since it involves hundreds of thousands of ringgit upfront. However, Sime Darby Property Marketing (Integrated) head Feng Wai Chia dispels the myth that the accessibility of buying a property is high.

“A lot of young homebuyers do not know that when you buy a home, you’re subjected to progressive billing when you buy an off-plan property, also known as a new launch. If you’re buying an off-plan property with a launch price of RM250,000, you might only have to pay RM81 monthly. This means you could enjoy a low repayment rate rather than paying thousands of ringgit at the very beginning,” Feng said.

Your brain isn’t built to save

Meanwhile, the Visionary Stage opened with “Level Up Blueprint — Hacking Goals with Your Brain,” where HELP University department of psychology cognitive psychologist Khor Khai Ling explained how the brain is naturally wired for survival, not savings.

"The brain is pre-programmed. It is built for survival. As cavemen at that time, what happened? Immediate reward was prioritised. When food was obtained, it was eaten immediately. There was no food storage. No fridge at that time. No cabinet," she said during her talk.

Khor said that while today's society is future-oriented, the brain hasn’t evolved to match that mindset.

"The digital world talks about shelter, talks about investment, talks about savings, right? All these are future-oriented goals. But was the brain programmed for that?" she said.

"Every day is a tug-of-war with the present self and the future self," she added, noting that the brain prefers instant rewards over long-term benefits.

Mindset before money

Next, “Growth Mindset & The Power of Financial Clarity” brought together DoitDuit founder HY Tan, Boost Bank chief executive officer Fozia Amanulla and Claudia, singer-songwriter and author; to discuss the intersection of mindset and financial clarity.

Tan mentioned that younger Malaysians who may be considering high-risk investments should be cautious.

“At this age, don’t rush into high-risk investments. Focus on increasing your salary and building your active income first,” she explained.

She recommended focusing on low-effort, long-term investments instead.

“Look into something like the S&P 500. You don’t need to watch it every day, and it still grows over time. But the most important thing right now is to equip yourself —learn, grow, and get better at what you do.

“Investment is to preserve your wealth. It’s not going to make you rich overnight,” she said.

Fozia added that personal finance always comes back to individual responsibility and clarity in priorities.

“Whatever you earn, it’s yours to manage. Your life and someone else’s life are different — so don’t compare. Know what matters to you and focus on that,” she added.

Fozia explained how Boost Bank helps users take control of their finances through automation.

“We try to empower every individual. Our app allows people to automate their savings — create different jars for different goals.

“Whether it’s travel, debt repayment, or anything else, the key is to start now, even if it’s small. Once it’s saved, it’s saved. You don’t have to think about it anymore,” she said.

Redefining wealth for a new generation

Commenting further, Claudia pointed out that the mindset is actually changing.

“It’s the generation above us that is holding on to a lot of these luxury things. We’re more jaded. We know it’s not realistic anymore,” she said.

Identifying herself as part of Gen Z, she said the idea of luxury is shifting.

“It’s not just about Hermès handbags and things like that anymore. What we consider luxury now is a lot more affordable,” she said.

YouthFest offers a rare platform for young Malaysians to engage with real-world issues such as homeownership, financial literacy, and mental wellbeing — all through open, relatable conversations.

With topics like “Can I Ever Afford This?”, “Smart Money Moves for Young Professionals” and “Reclaiming Calm in Urban Chaos”, the event brings together voices from finance, property, psychology and urban planning to provide practical insights often missing from formal education. The goal is to equip participants with the tools to make informed life decisions in today’s fast-changing world.

The programme continues on April 20, Sunday, with more engaging talks by young Malaysians on how they grow their income as well as expert sharing by psychologists who will add perspectives on building healthier mindsets to achieve life goals as serious as buying a property.

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