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Housing Shortage
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152047
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Posts: 135
Joined: Jan 2011
Post: #1
01-12-2015 10:31 PM

It is a good question.

- Clearly some people are living on the street but I don't think anymore than 30 years ago.

- Large numbers of would be house buyers have been priced out the market and have to rent.

- An increasing number in the above category are living with their parents much longer than they would want.

- There are some (I don't know how many) who are living in chronically overcrowded accommodation.

So you could say the shortage of housing is in fact:

- the effect of the buy to let market and on a polemic level the ability of those with wealth to invest it and earn a return at the expense of generation rent;

- the result of an ageing population and changing demographics resulting in elderly singles or couples living in housing stock that might be larger than they need or certainly for longer than was the case 60 years ago;

- the result of economic growth the associated immigration especially in London.

I don't know if there are any reliable statistics but I wonder what would be the effect on house prices and demand for housing if all of the buy to let properties were put on the market.

Certainly if you make buy to let unattractive as an option (for both UK taxpayers and overseas investors) then you could reduce demand and therefore prices but I guess you would have to be very careful to avoid putting recent buyers into negative equity.

For the elderly even if they wanted to move (and why should they?) there is probably a shortage of suitable alternative accommodation for them. A thirty storey tower block is probably not the ideal choice for your retirement.

Immigration? Well we all get a vote next year so no need to say anymore.

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Messages In This Topic
Housing Shortage - Azira - 01-12-2015, 09:39 PM
RE: Housing Shortage - derbybill - 02-12-2015, 07:07 PM
RE: Housing Shortage - Azira - 02-12-2015, 07:45 PM
RE: Housing Shortage - Azira - 02-12-2015, 07:48 PM
RE: Taymount Grange Planning Proposal - 152047 - 01-12-2015 10:31 PM

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