>Massive implicit and explicit government distortions in favor of home ownership. Starting with the type of mortgage available in the US and virtually nowhere e

>Massive implicit and explicit government distortions in favor of home ownership. Starting with the type of mortgage available in the US and virtually nowhere else Which ones? The horrible interest-only ones, or the horrible variable interest with balloon payment ones, or the horrible fixed 5% interest ones? Now look at Japan. I can get a home there with a 1-2% fixed mortgage rate and that comes with a 5% discount at the local mall/grocery (Aeon). I could actually make the 1% back just on my food spending. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-07/record-low-mortgage-rates-seen-luring-back-buyers-japan-credit http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-07/record-low... 4% may not sound like much, but it is huge over the course of a 30 year loan. 100,000=>115,000@30yr,1% 100,000=>193,000@30yr,5% What a rip off... Nearly double the principal, just in interest. Mortgages here seem like legalized financial slavery to me. I rent here in the USA. I haven't seen great changes in my rent in the past few of years. This story seems very suspicious to me. Is it an advertisement paid by the mortgage industry?