Secrets of strata living … it’s all in the game

As Australian cities move towards half of our populations living in apartments and townhouses, Julie McLean explores how we can use games to prepare our kids for a world where the secrets of strata living remain a mystery to residents, policy makers and politicians alike.

According to the 2022 Australasian Strata Insights, strata buildings are set to play a critical role in meeting Australia’s future housing needs, with the number of Australians living in strata buildings projected to climb to 50% by 2040.

Over the next decade, more than 1.5 million baby boomers will consider downsizing their homes in retirement, drawn to the simplicity of apartment living.

Yet, many people enter strata living without understanding its nuances, leading to frustrations, mismanagement, and a lack of harmony. And, many people are simply not suited to collective living.

As one of those (very young) 1.5 million boomers, I have skin in the game and a vested interest in improving strata liveability.  Plus, after many years working in the strata title sector, I have some experience.

So how do we prepare for the future?

It’s widely accepted that insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results.

So, are we going to sit back and hope future strata owners are magically more informed than today’s 3 million plus townhouse and apartment owners?  After all, will abolishing insurance commissions, improving disclosures, or introducing better licensing for strata managers really fix the core issues?

It’s pretty well established that strata sector woes stem from apathy and a fundamental lack of understanding about what strata living is, and isn’t. Add to these causes, the failure of confidence in the strata sector and we’ve got a recipe for frustration, at least.

So, how do we ensure the future doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the past?

When I purchased my first strata property, it felt like stepping into an unfamiliar world with rules I didn’t fully understand. The by laws were complex, hidden costs lurked around every corner, and the collective decision making process seemed overwhelming. I quickly realised that strata living isn’t just about owning a property; it’s about navigating a community with shared responsibilities and challenges.

Strata living is and will become an integral part of Australia’s housing landscape.

If we do nothing, all we’ll achieve is making today’s problems bigger, worse and harder to solve.

But there’s hope if we’re willing to learn from the past to shape the future.

Can we learn from the past to shape the future?

Consider recycling as a case study.

In the 1990s, Australians embraced the idea of “Do the Right Thing” and “Keep Australia Beautiful.”

These campaigns from 1990’s began in kindergartens, where children learned the value of recycling as part of their everyday lives. I know this because my children were in kindergarten during the Kennett years in Victoria, when parents had to step up to manage kindergartens [and yes] I was on that first committee. At the same time Local Councils introduced kerbside pickup for recyclable products and our children monitored our recycling efforts. I can’t help recalling being told by my 5 year old at the time “mummy you are putting it in the wrong bin”

This early education approach worked. Recycling became normalised, and those kindergarten kids grew up to lead initiatives and hold us accountable for how we treat our planet. We changed the way a whole society viewed waste. It was a long term, big picture solution across many industry sectors to pull it off and involved investing large amounts of money over the long term.

So, could we apply the same strategy to strata ownership and living?

Can we normalise strata title by introducing the “Do the Right Thing” ethos for collective living, decision making, responsibility and accountability?

What might a strata learning program for 5 to 18 year olds look like?

With 50% of the population destined to live in strata we need a big picture solution and urgently.

What are the core issues?

I was lucky enough to grow up in a home on a quarter acre block with a hills hoist and was told that if I worked hard and saved that I would one day also own my own house on a quarter acre block with a hills hoist.

This was the “Great Australian Dream”. Everybody believed it and expected it.

To this day many government policies still assume and support the idea that housing is a “single standalone dwelling”. That narrative must change and reflect our modern urban society. Strata must be included and not omitted from policy development, grants, concessions or improvement loans.

Planning and development of property decisions made by local government, courts, developers, planners and engineers impacts not only future liveability but also affordability.  Planning Courts and Tribunals do not consider the end user when approving strata building development applications.

Similarly, affordability is another concept that’s incorrectly and mistakenly associated with strata ownership. Again, it is the wrong message. Strata is not affordable just because the purchase price is lower. So, more work must be done to convey a basic financial understanding about strata title to policy makers and others [like journalists, economists, social commentators, etc.

If you think strata problems and conflicts of interest are unique to Australia, watch this video from Canada where an apartment is a condo and the strata committee is the board, but the problems are spookily familiar.

Then there’s the sale and purchase of land and property.

Traditional sales processes were designed for the transfer of single free standing dwellings. The rules regulating real estate agents did not contemplate multi dwelling apartments. Legislation deals with this by requiring vendors to disclose everything, which is fine for a single dwelling home as they are the decision maker. However, for a multi owned strata building the vendor is usually the person who does not attend any meetings or vote on any motions.  

And, getting access to strata information, even if you know what to ask for, is like pulling teeth. There are no standards on what must be in the advertisement (like strata building levies or fees), no restriction on advertising without a sale contract, that apparently that can turn up as late as they like. And then there is the lack of uniformity about the quality of the information that is provided.

I am currently helping my youngest daughter navigate the process and will have a lot more to say on this topic in the future!

Finally, the idea that “my home is my castle” and notions of democracy in strata buildings is another thing that’s misunderstood.  

Strata laws, rules and by laws are for obeying, not for ignoring because they don’t suit you. Living in strata is not an absolute right for everyone even if you can afford to buy a property. Just like pets undergoing a temperament test for apartment living so too should the human occupants.

Laws need to change to allow for the forced sale of a strata property if the owner is not suited to living in a strata building and creates a nightmares for the neighbours [Something like this is provided for in the Ontario Condominium Act 1998 and there are stories about court ordered forced sales here].

https://realestatemagazine.ca/courts-can-evict-condo-owners-for-bad-conduct

Educating for a Strata Future – A Three-Pronged Approach

How do we ensure current and future strata residents are prepared for this lifestyle?

Just like the recycling initiative we need to address the future, whilst also addressing the present. It’s not up to strata committees and strata managers: sure, they have a part to play but this is a societal responsibility.

So, here are my suggestions.

1. A Curriculum for the Future
   By introducing strata living concepts into school curricula, we can normalise shared living, collective decision making, and community responsibility from a young age. From kindergarteners learning about cooperation through play to high schoolers exploring financial management and governance, this education would foster a generation ready to embrace strata living.
2. Mandatory training for Politicians, Public policy Officers, Federal, State and Local Government
   It is evident that our current politicians and policy makers charged with preparing us for the future do not understand the complexities and nuances of strata title and will need training until our future leader’s takeover.
   Professor Cathy Sherry has designed a suite of seminars suitable for politicians and those that write policy, explaining liveability, affordability, infrastructure, financing and public open space when creating or changing policy.
3. Gamification for the Present
   The problem for today’s strata buyers and residents is a lack fundamental knowledge that includes determining if strata living is right for them. Many people struggle to understand by laws, strata levies, and collective decision making until they’re already facing the challenges and consequences. A gamified approach to those experiences provides a low stakes environment to explore these challenges [and to practice them to improve skills] before they arise in real life.

Combining these strategies creates a comprehensive solution.

Gamification tackles the immediate need to educate current buyers and residents, while a school curriculum ensures a long-term cultural shift toward understanding and embracing strata living. Together, these approaches would address the root causes of apathy and misunderstanding, building stronger, more informed communities for generations to come.

With both education and play in our toolkit, we can create a future where strata living isn’t just another challenge; it’s an opportunity for collaboration, shared prosperity, and harmony.

Lego are world leaders in combining learning through play and have a suite of products including apartments and villages to build. And, SimCity’s SimCity BuildIt ranks as the number 4 simulation game, with more than 100 million downloads.

The Curriculum Solution: Investing in the Future

A Curriculum for the future could cover key concepts such as these that each year build and consolidate learning directed at strata living but also more broadly to fitting into a modern integrated society.

Learning by doing provides active engagement and deeper learning. Making mistakes is part of the learning journey and its fun. These activities have been developed using today’s real life frustrations and could be used not just for school but also for strata managers and committee training.

The Gamification Solution: A Playful Way to Learn

A game like Strata Monopoly could demystify the experience of buying and living in a strata property. Simulating real world challenges like managing strata levies, understanding by laws, and electing committees would provide a fun, engaging way to build knowledge, experience and confidence.

Not everyone is suited to co-housing and shared community living, and it’s important to identify this early. A gamified activity called “Is Strata Living for You?” that asks questions that guide people through typical strata living experiences and challenges could help potential strata buyers evaluate their compatibility.

These kind of games could be offered at real estate sales offices, rental agencies, via online platforms, on strata title regulator and organisation websites, by strata and building managers or even as a community workshop activity to help property buyers gain a deeper understanding of the responsibilities and challenges of strata living.

You might even say it’s a strata game changer.

Here are some gamified examples I’ve thought of.

1.   Strata Monopoly: Learning Through Play

Imagine a game where players take on the role of lot owners, committee members, or strata managers. In Strata Monopoly, they must navigate:

2.  Is Strata Living for You? A Self Discovery Simulation

Prior to or during the inspection of a strata property, along with the information the real estate agent requires, perhaps they should have an obligation to screen potential purchases as part of their duties under Australian Consumer Law and gently steer the unsuitable buyers to consider different types of property ownership.

3.   SimCity BuildIT Strata

Using the same basis as the SimCity game, instead of focusing on what makes a great city, the focus would be on making a great strata community, who is involved, managing budgets and managing disputes. It could help committees try different approaches and see how they work (or don’t).

According to the SimCity BuildIt Infographic from 2015, the new version was downloaded 15 million times across 100 countries in just 3 weeks.

Imagine what a difference something like that would make to the strata title sector!

Let’s Build a Better Strata Future

As the demand and need for strata living grows, we face a pivotal opportunity to reshape its narrative.

By investing in both immediate and long term solutions, we can build a society where shared living is understood, embraced, and works.

Here’s how you can contribute:

1. For Policymakers: Conduct a top-down review of policies and expand single dwelling to include strata. Prioritize funding and support for educational initiatives—both in schools and through public campaigns. Champion reforms in property sales processes to ensure transparency and accessibility. Properly fund and support the sector.
2. For Developers and Real Estate Professionals: Embrace gamification tools like Strata Monopoly to educate potential buyers and integrate self-assessment activities into the purchasing process to ensure suitability. Proptech needs to do more in this space.
3. For Educators and Community Leaders: Advocate for strata education to be included in school curricula and community workshops. Equip future generations with the skills they need to thrive in shared living environments.
4. For Individuals: Whether you’re a current or future strata resident, take advantage of resources and tools to understand your role and responsibilities. Participate in community activities, workshops, or games that simulate real-life strata scenarios. Great resources are freely available.

2040 is just 15 years away and through education, innovation, and collaboration, we can normalise strata living, reduce conflicts, and create harmonious communities for generations to come. Let’s focus on the bigger picture, fix the knowledge gap and move forward with a shared commitment to better strata living because the future isn’t just about building strata apartments; it’s about building strata communities.

Julie McLean is a vastly experienced strata manager and former President of Strata Community Australia (Victoria)