Mr Finch (35), a Lion Beer, Wine and Spirits sales rep, and Ms Harrex (30), Alpine Supermarket supervisor and SAP manager, have been trying to buy their own home in the Arrowtown area for five years.
However, they now face the prospect of leaving the district due to the affordability issues.
While yesterday the Government committed to addressing factors which make New Zealand houses ''so expensive to build and buy'', its planned accords with councils across the country do not seem to address Queenstown's problems.
Housing Minister Nick Smith said the accords were aimed at improving housing affordability by increasing land supply and streamlining planning and consent processes.
Queenstown Lakes Housing Trust chairman David Coles said
the proposed measures were not likely to alleviate the issues in the resort.
At present the trust has 204 households on a waiting list for a property. Mr Finch and Ms Harrex are among them.
However, with the median house price for Queenstown in April recorded at $556,000, the couple said despite their savings, purchasing a home in the area was unrealistic.
''We've saved enough that we could, but we wouldn't be able to have a family for the next 25 years while we're paying off the mortgage,'' Mr Finch said.
''We could build a brand new house in Dunedin [for the cost of an entry-level Arrowtown home].
''There are so many young couples here in Arrowtown, but you just can't see them hanging around in the next five to 10 years.
''If an opportunity came up, ... we'd move away.''
Mr Coles said their situation was all too common and while he welcomed the Government's focus on housing affordability, Queenstown's position was different.
The gap between the median house price and the median income was a big concern.
While it was difficult to establish the median household income in the resort, an independent survey commissioned by the trust last year showed 68% of the 500 respondents earned between $30,000 and $50,000 per annum.
Of those surveyed, 86% said housing costs were the largest barrier they faced when committing to Queenstown.
''The issues, or the cost of affordability for places like Queenstown are different to Auckland and Christchurch, but the consequences are the same,'' Mr Coles said.
''If we are to attract young teachers and workers to our district and retain them, there needs to be a solution to the very high cost of housing ... '' I'm optimistic that we in Queenstown are also part of the Government's thinking.''
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden said the resort, unlike Auckland and Christchurch, did not have vast amounts of land available for residential developments.
''We've got special things that are important for us to protect.
''For us, it's a lot about continuing to find whatever opportunities are out there and continuing to work ... with the Government.''
