Oh how could we be so stupid?

[DealorNoDeal]

Down here in Cornwall, the locals are always banging on about 2nd home owners and incomers (London types).

Funny thing is, though, when locals put their houses up for sale you never see them stipulating "local buyers only". They want top dollar, and are quite happy to sell to outsiders, even though they know this is pricing locals, including their own kids/grandkids, out of the market.

[Whorty]

Down here in Cornwall, the locals are always banging on about 2nd home owners and incomers (London types).

Funny thing is, though, when locals put their houses up for sale you never see them stipulating "local buyers only". They want top dollar, and are quite happy to sell to outsiders, even though they know this is pricing locals, including their own kids/grandkids, out of the market.

Same where I live in the West Country - always moaning their kids can't buy, but when a builder wants to build new houses, the self same people complain there is too much housing already and it's spoiling their village What they want is to buy property cheaply, but to be allowed to sell at an inflated price.

[NotAllThere]

Maybe have in certain areas, locals can buy houses as one price, but furriners must pay triple that, with the excess subsidising the locals. ISTR that the Channel Islands have something like this.

[vetran]

Maybe have in certain areas, locals can buy houses as one price, but furriners must pay triple that, with the excess subsidising the locals. ISTR that the Channel Islands have something like this.

or build more houses and have fewer people wanting them?

[NotAllThere]

or build more houses and have fewer people wanting them?

Ordinary houses don't have enough profit.It's got to be executive houses.

[vetran]

Ordinary houses don't have enough profit.It's got to be executive houses.

It seems to be small bland houses and flats.

https://theconversation.com/barratt-...-builder-20117

The way land is bought and sold in the UK means standardised houses (that could be built anywhere) have to be fundamental to the business model of volume housebuilders such as Barratt or its rival Taylor Wimpey. Money is made in land rather than in housing itself. Better quality, bigger homes and lower density developments will only come about through changes to the land market.

[mookiemoo]

Part of the problem as well is urealistic expectations of first time buyers..... when I bought my first place 20 years ago it was a grot box flat that needed ripping out. It was cheap because of that. Slept on a mattress on the floor for a few months and had little furniture. Turned it into a nice place and then sold it and moved to a better one.

Now, a lot of first time buyers want a semi (would settle for a nice terrace at worst) with a garden and parking ready to move in.

I suspect that part of this, and I say this without casting any moral judgement, 20 years ago more couples sorted out the housing before the kids. Now the kids seem to come before the housing which makes it more unaffordable and them less willing to compromise.

[vetran]

Part of the problem as well is urealistic expectations of first time buyers..... when I bought my first place 20 years ago it was a grot box flat that needed ripping out. It was cheap because of that. Slept on a mattress on the floor for a few months and had little furniture. Turned it into a nice place and then sold it and moved to a better one.

Now, a lot of first time buyers want a semi (would settle for a nice terrace at worst) with a garden and parking ready to move in.

I suspect that part of this, and I say this without casting any moral judgement, 20 years ago more couples sorted out the housing before the kids. Now the kids seem to come before the housing which makes it more unaffordable and them less willing to compromise.

25 years ago we bought a 4 bed end terrace in an ex council estate (it was mixed ownership) for £65K I was earning £19K+ car then. The same houses are now £500k the area hasn't got much better.

[mookiemoo]

The other one you see which people never used to - we have to have a room for each of our kids...... now II was an only so I never shared but my cousins did......... one family had three in a room. Not ideal but if it means you can own rather than rent.....

[vetran]

The other one you see which people never used to - we have to have a room for each of our kids...... now II was an only so I never shared but my cousins did......... one family had three in a room. Not ideal but if it means you can own rather than rent.....

plenty of families with 3 kids renting 1 or 2 bed flats round here.

The cost of a basic family house is 10-20 times average wage compared to 3 times 25 years ago.