‘I refused to give up’: 24yo builds free app to help young Aussies own a home

At just 21 years old, Sydney entrepreneur Nick Melrose realised his dream of owning a home was slipping through his fingers.

Instead of giving up, he built a weapon to fight back – and it could help tens of thousands of Aussies do the same.

“I was drowning in advice and data designed to generate leads, not clarity, the now 24 year-old says.

“There wasn’t a single free tool that helped me truly understand my financial position or the property journey ahead.”

That frustration became the spark for ScaleApp – a free property budgeting and ownership simulator now backed by $1.5m in investor funding, including support from US real estate powerhouse REACH.

The tool is being hailed a game-changer for Gen Z and Millennial buyers, offering a way to road-test home ownership before making the biggest purchase of their lives.

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Nick Melrose was only 21 when he knew he wanted to break into the property market.

He’s achieved all that and more, creating a free property app that could change the way his generation buys homes.

“I want to prove to people my age that property is achievable,” Mr Melrose says.

“Buying is just the beginning. With the right information and education, young Australians cannot only buy a home but hold onto it for the long haul.”

From deposit strategies to rentvesting, HECS debt and even raising a family, ScaleApp lets users simulate every financial twist and turn.

“One of the most powerful features is the ownership simulator,” he says.“

“It lets prospective first homeowners see what life might look like in five or 10 years with different savings habits, property types, equity positions, and lifestyle changes“

“It also provides real-time data analysis, such as at open homes, so prospective first home buyers can instantly assess whether a property is the right fit for them.”

The urgency is real.

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From deposit strategies to rentvesting, managing HECS debt and even raising a family, ScaleApp lets users simulate every financial twist and turn.

Finder’s First Home Buyer Report 2025 found 65 per cent of first-time buyers are, or expect to be, in mortgage stress, while 47 per cent overspent.

A further 33 per cent of survey respondents have less than 10,000 left in savings while 14 per cent had nothing left at all after purchasing a home.

“These numbers are heartbreaking, but they’re also sadly predictable,” Mr Melrose says.
“We’re asking young people to make the biggest financial decision of their lives without giving them the tools to plan for it properly.

“When nearly half of buyers overspend and a third are left with almost nothing, it’s clear the system isn’t designed to support them. So, I set out to build one that does.”

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