Housing crisis

Why can’t the government fix the housing crisis? People are unable to get on the housing market due to the need for a large deposit and also rents are so high which makes it impossible for people to save up especially in the south

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Reply 1

Smack

Volunteer Team

In the long term it is in the (Conservative) government's interest to sort out the housing crisis as a lack of new homeowners will likely lead to a lack of new Tory voters.

But in the short term it's difficult to fix. We saw this at the recent Amersham byelection, where the Lib Dems campaigned on, basically, nimbyism. Lots of people don't want more housing developments in greenspaces near them. If the Tories want to build houses all over the south, how well will their blue-wall stand up?

The government are also quite against WFH, which may be one way to help alleviate the strain on housing in the south. If you rarely need to attend an office in London you can live further away as the commute is less of an issue; if you never have to attend an office in London you can live anywhere.

Reply 2

hotpud

Can I correct this for you.

Why can't the government fix the housing crisis? People are unable to get on the housing market in desirable areas and areas they want to live in because sadly lots of other people with more money than them also want to live there and are pricing them out. As a result rents are also high and given the lifestyle many people who live in these areas have, they are unable to save up, especially in the south.

I don't think the housing crisis is as bad as you think. It has been difficult to buy a home as a single person for 20 odd years now. As a couple it is much easier. And there are plenty of cheap properties around if you are prepared to compromise. One went in Manchester for £20k the other week.

Reply 3

looloo2134

There is not really a housing shortage or crisis is that nobody wants to live in rundown old mining towns

People can afford to buy homes in many parts country but they choose not to because lack of local services. Poor job opportunities inadequate rated local schools etcs.

Reply 4

Saracen's Fez

One of the key things that binds the current electoral coalition for the Conservatives, whether they're 'Red Wall' or shire Tories is that they're homeowners, and probably largely settled in the home (or the sort of home and area) that they currently live in. Labour's rhetoric doesn't strike me as having completely understood how much of a dividing line owning your home is becoming in politics and so they're not really going out and actively targeting non-homeowners. (Some good but potentially paywalled data on this here: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2021/05/how-tory-dominance-built-home-ownership)

If you own your home and you're not planning to move any time soon (or if you do, it would be to somewhere of similar value, and you don't need to upsize etc.), there's no housing crisis for you. It's in your interest for house values to continue to rise, the more the better, and have the asset you own or your equity in it rise.

Likewise if you've got a second home that you rent out as an investment, perhaps for your pension, then you don't want rents or house prices to fall, and actually some of these people who were betting on continuing rising prices would be caught short for their retirement if the value of property fell through more building.

So there are plenty of people for whom solving the housing crisis is not in their economic interest, and they happen to be the people who are likely to keep electing the existing government. And that doesn't even touch on how the supply side has been affected by simple NIMBYism...

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 5

Rakas21

Smack and Fez largely sum up the answer.

Firstly we have the fact that in the UK it is difficult to create large scale developments, they are largely private so it's not in their interests to develop to a degree that the local market stalls and then we have the fact that UK law grants a lot of power to NIMBY folk.

Secondly as Fez pointed out, if you own your own home or your parents do it's not really in your interests. You already have capital or an inheritance coming.

I would add that these points are more in favour of the status quo also because the regional picture distorts things. UK home ownership is still at about 69% and was slowly rising before the pandemic while in London the home ownership rate is about 30%. This means that despite a lot of whaffle from southerners in and around London, for a lot of the country the personal impact is not as keenly felt.

Reply 6

Quady

Not impossible, they just need to move away from the south.

Reply 7

looloo2134

Original post by hotpud

What the area of Manchester with the £20000 home like does it have a high crime rate are the local schools good or excellent are the local large supermarkets such as Tesco's Asda etc in walking distance.
They things that people have to consider before they buy a property. I remember on channel four The One pound homes were people brought houses in a derelict street and agreed to do up the property and stay for 5 years
They were terrified by local criminals and fireworks were thrown at them by local children. They were scared that a child might put a live firework through their letterbox.

Reply 8

hotpud

Original post by looloo2134

I don't know. It is easy to write off whole areas, but the reality is that most places are ok. If you have bought a house for £20k, you can afford a Range Rover to drive you to the supermarket. I can't imagine walking to a supermarket. How do you get back with your shopping? Gosh - how they live in the south! :biggrin:

Reply 9

Quady

Original post by hotpud

Gotta link to this £20k place?

Reply 10

Rakas21

Original post by Quady

Gotta link to this £20k place?

Static Caravan

Reply 11

looloo2134

Original post by hotpud

I live in suburbs of London and because of the excellent trainsport links a bus come every ten minutes. I choose not learn to drive many of my friends do not drive because their no point driving in London.

You still not selling the north if i have to get a Range rover to get my shopping.

Reply 12

hotpud

Original post by Quady

Gotta link to this £20k place?

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/property/cheapest-houses-market-greater-manchester-22059135

It seems it is a go-to new article when nothing is happening. They also do the most expensive houses if that floats your boat more.

Reply 13

Quady

Original post by hotpud

So the £20k house in Manchester has a guide price for auction 20% higher?

And it's 12 miles walk from Manchester - it's closer to the M6 than the M60.....

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 14

londonmyst

Original post by Quady

Gotta link to this £20k place?

I've seen plenty of northern flats, houses and park homes under £39k.

A friend from uni bought a £16k fire damaged house in NE england at auction in Feb 2021.
Paid with his savings from accumulated student loans, did some refurbishment work and has turned down several good cash offers.
He's holding out for a minimum £20k profit plus wants the buyer liable for full payment of all his legal fees.
I think that he'll have made his money within the next 2 months and am quite jealous.

Reply 15

hotpud

Original post by Quady

So the £20k house in Manchester has a guide price for auction 20% higher?

And it's 12 miles walk from Manchester - it's closer to the M6 than the M60.....

Well obviously, if you want to live in the centre of Manchester you wouldn't choose to live in Wigan would you???

But if you can afford to buy a house for £50k chances are you are going to have change for a car, or use public transport.

As I said above. This issue is not with house prices. The issue is with people deciding that their dream home must be within walking distance of a very desirable place and then being disappointed they can't afford to buy there. It is expectations that are misplaced, not house prices.

Reply 16

JOSH4598

Original post by hotpud

I don't think the housing crisis is as bad as you think. It has been difficult to buy a home as a single person for 20 odd years now. As a couple it is much easier. And there are plenty of cheap properties around if you are prepared to compromise. One went in Manchester for £20k the other week.

As a proportion of income, it is significantly harder today than it was twenty years ago given the increasing gap between wage rises and house prices rises. At no point was it 'easy' to buy a house, considering everyone has had to work to pay off their mortgage, but for young buyers today it is merely a dream.

And bringing up a £20k property in Manchester is complete nonsense. What's that got to do with the national housing crisis? Considering the UK's average house price is £270k and for the South East (where most of the jobs are) it stands at £432k makes that comparison utterly pointless. Are you suggesting everyone in the UK who can't afford a house move to some grotty Manchester street with no local facilities or connections just because one house is selling at £20k?!

Original post by hotpud

As I said above. This issue is not with house prices. The issue is with people deciding that their dream home must be within walking distance of a very desirable place and then being disappointed they can't afford to buy there. It is expectations that are misplaced, not house prices.

Again, this is overlooking the problem completely. The fact millions of young buyers can't afford to buy in the areas they've grown up in and lived all their life, forces them to rent (or move away from their families and everything they've known). It's not even a matter of being in walking distance to a certain amenity - in many cases it's impossible to afford a house in the same county of that amenity. I've looked into buying a flat near where I grew up and where my parents live when I graduate, and I can't afford to buy anything within 30 miles of them. Your comments here completely overlook this and show little consideration for a very real problem.

Reply 17

Quady

Original post by JOSH4598

the South East (where most of the jobs are)

Pretty sure most jobs aren't in the south east

Reply 18

Quady

Original post by JOSH4598

I've looked into buying a flat near where I grew up and where my parents live when I graduate, and I can't afford to buy anything within 30 miles of them. Your comments here completely overlook this and show little consideration for a very real problem.

Yet you went to university like 150 miles away

Reply 19

JOSH4598

Original post by Quady

Pretty sure most jobs aren't in the south east

Ok, where most of the opportunities are for young professionals who are starting their careers. The vast majority of graduate jobs are concentrated in London and the South East. And for those who did not go to university, many do get jobs in London and the South East where they can advance their careers easier.

Original post by Quady

Yet you went to university like 150 miles away

Not sure what this has to do with anything, nor how you would know where I went to university (unless you have a good memory and I've said in a previous thread). Just because students go to a university a long distance away, doesn't mean they want to live there forever. A huge number of students would love to live in the same town as where they grew up; my point was that it is wildly unaffordable for many which is the sad reality of the housing crisis.

The fact you are trying to split hairs implies you're in agreement with me that there is a housing crisis, otherwise you would present evidence to the contrary. Your suggestion that people 'just need to move away from the South' is absurd considering most of the opportunities are in the South.