4 ms·

It's not about the "economy", it's about people being able to buy a roof over their head. Foreign investors simply don't belong in that space at all.

hrdwdmrbl 5y ago
"People being able to buy a roof over their head" is the economics of housing
Bilal_io 5y ago
Exactly, and I honestly wish there were measures to fine owners that have empty homes as well. Many people would disagree with me, but to me it's not about economics. We need a way to fight the idea of hoarding homes, a basic human right, as being an "investment".
- hrdwdmrbl 5y ago
  If there was enough supply there wouldn't be a problem. No one hoards cars, boats, airplanes or anything else because they think that they can corner the market and raise prices. Housing is only special because not enough is built. It's only possible to "hoard" because every 1 off the market is less for everyone else. A fixed pie. Like bitcoin. If the bitcoin supply was infinite no one would think about collecting them.
  - goodpoint 5y ago
    Houses are non-fungible, making the whole comparison absurd. They occupy 3D space in a fixed location. Until we develop Star Trek teleportation I cannot replace my apartment with a cheaper one 1000km away. That's why hoarding real estate is exploitation of people's basic needs.
  - Bilal_io 5y ago
    It's easier and cheaper to produce more cars. Boats are irrelevant since they're not a necessity, a house is, a car is in certain cities.houses being already scarce, and hoarding them makes it worse, because it makes them even less affordable.
  - dale_glass 5y ago
    You can't have enough supply of housing, because for housing location matters a lot. There's only so much room in the center of the capital, and making more costs a titanic amount of effort. Even that runs out eventually, as you can only build so high. Otherwise, why would we be having a problem? Move to Serbia and buy an apartment for $40K.
    - waqf 5y ago
      Serious question, what should I consider before moving to Serbia and buying an apartment for $40k?
      - Ekaros 5y ago
        Generally location, services and availability of work... Might even have services, but no work... That is for Finland. Like I see 32k€ for 3 bedroom house, with relatively big plot. 2km from "town" center... What explains it is area losing population.
      - dale_glass 5y ago
        Well, just a few things that come to mind: * Speaking the language -- in some places they don't speak much English, and certainly don't do official paperwork in it. * Local laws * Safety * How much stuff you need is going to be nearby * Internet access * Local culture * Employment * Friends and family Like, I don't know much about Serbia (just looked up where housing is cheap), but from what I hear I could get a pretty good deal if I moved to Russia -- they're desperate for tech workers and offering some very good perks regarding mortgages and so on. But on the other hand, is living in Russia that good of a deal right now? I don't think so. They've got a bad government, slow and very restricted internet access, a not terribly pleasant society overall in my impression, and the economy is circling the drain due to all the sanctions.
        tryauuum 5y ago
        some nitpicking: internet in Russia is very fast and stable. But you are right when you say "restricted". The retarded government tries to ban some websites.
- kwhitefoot 5y ago
  In Norway a kommune (local authority) can institute a boplikt, a duty of residence. This means that if you purchase a house in that area it must become your principal residence.
  - tmnvix 5y ago
    So it's not at all possible to rent a home in these places?
    - kwhitefoot 5y ago
      Yes it is possible. But the house is then treated as a business asset which is different from a second home. I don't know the details.
- eru 5y ago
  Look into land value taxes. I would advise against specifically fining empty homes, because then you have to define what an empty home is; and that will have lots of weird grey areas. That being said: fining/taxing is still better than banning.
throw0101a 5y ago
> Foreign investors simply don't belong in that space at all. How much is this a problem? Further, this does not (IIRC) apply to folks to have permanent residence status or folks here on things like student visas. So how many never-set-foot-in-Canada people are buying properties?
- DocTomoe 5y ago
  I would not try to immigrate into a country in which I don't have a place to live, so this essentially is an anti-immigration, "Canada for the Canadians, Foreigners out" policy in my book.
  - jackling 5y ago
    Is it really? I would imagine that many immigrants don't buy homes outright before immigrating. Most immigrants I know rent out the first few years and start saving.
  - throw0101a 5y ago
    Not being able to buy a place to live ≠ not having a place to live. Plenty of Canadian-born people rent.
- Tiktaalik 5y ago
  Years ago, before BC brought in it's foreign buyer tax it was a problem. Local builders were literally opening up sales offices in Taiwan, Hong Kong and other major cities in Asia. We know it was a significant issue because the government actually shared the data, and it showed some alarming trends. What is remarkable here in contrast is that the Federal government hasn't shared any data at all. (Ironically when they were elected in 2015 they promised "evidence based decision making" ..haha)
eru 5y ago
Foreigners are people to.

hrdwdmrbl 5y ago

"People being able to buy a roof over their head" is the economics of housing

Bilal_io 5y ago

Exactly, and I honestly wish there were measures to fine owners that have empty homes as well. Many people would disagree with me, but to me it's not about economics. We need a way to fight the idea of hoarding homes, a basic human right, as being an "investment".

hrdwdmrbl 5y ago
If there was enough supply there wouldn't be a problem. No one hoards cars, boats, airplanes or anything else because they think that they can corner the market and raise prices. Housing is only special because not enough is built. It's only possible to "hoard" because every 1 off the market is less for everyone else. A fixed pie. Like bitcoin. If the bitcoin supply was infinite no one would think about collecting them.
- goodpoint 5y ago
  Houses are non-fungible, making the whole comparison absurd. They occupy 3D space in a fixed location. Until we develop Star Trek teleportation I cannot replace my apartment with a cheaper one 1000km away. That's why hoarding real estate is exploitation of people's basic needs.
- Bilal_io 5y ago
  It's easier and cheaper to produce more cars. Boats are irrelevant since they're not a necessity, a house is, a car is in certain cities.houses being already scarce, and hoarding them makes it worse, because it makes them even less affordable.
- dale_glass 5y ago
  You can't have enough supply of housing, because for housing location matters a lot. There's only so much room in the center of the capital, and making more costs a titanic amount of effort. Even that runs out eventually, as you can only build so high. Otherwise, why would we be having a problem? Move to Serbia and buy an apartment for $40K.
  - waqf 5y ago
    Serious question, what should I consider before moving to Serbia and buying an apartment for $40k?
    - Ekaros 5y ago
      Generally location, services and availability of work... Might even have services, but no work... That is for Finland. Like I see 32k€ for 3 bedroom house, with relatively big plot. 2km from "town" center... What explains it is area losing population.
    - dale_glass 5y ago
      Well, just a few things that come to mind: * Speaking the language -- in some places they don't speak much English, and certainly don't do official paperwork in it. * Local laws * Safety * How much stuff you need is going to be nearby * Internet access * Local culture * Employment * Friends and family Like, I don't know much about Serbia (just looked up where housing is cheap), but from what I hear I could get a pretty good deal if I moved to Russia -- they're desperate for tech workers and offering some very good perks regarding mortgages and so on. But on the other hand, is living in Russia that good of a deal right now? I don't think so. They've got a bad government, slow and very restricted internet access, a not terribly pleasant society overall in my impression, and the economy is circling the drain due to all the sanctions.
      - tryauuum 5y ago
        some nitpicking: internet in Russia is very fast and stable. But you are right when you say "restricted". The retarded government tries to ban some websites.
kwhitefoot 5y ago
In Norway a kommune (local authority) can institute a boplikt, a duty of residence. This means that if you purchase a house in that area it must become your principal residence.
- tmnvix 5y ago
  So it's not at all possible to rent a home in these places?
  - kwhitefoot 5y ago
    Yes it is possible. But the house is then treated as a business asset which is different from a second home. I don't know the details.
eru 5y ago
Look into land value taxes. I would advise against specifically fining empty homes, because then you have to define what an empty home is; and that will have lots of weird grey areas. That being said: fining/taxing is still better than banning.

throw0101a 5y ago

> Foreign investors simply don't belong in that space at all. How much is this a problem? Further, this does not (IIRC) apply to folks to have permanent residence status or folks here on things like student visas. So how many never-set-foot-in-Canada people are buying properties?

DocTomoe 5y ago
I would not try to immigrate into a country in which I don't have a place to live, so this essentially is an anti-immigration, "Canada for the Canadians, Foreigners out" policy in my book.
- jackling 5y ago
  Is it really? I would imagine that many immigrants don't buy homes outright before immigrating. Most immigrants I know rent out the first few years and start saving.
- throw0101a 5y ago
  Not being able to buy a place to live ≠ not having a place to live. Plenty of Canadian-born people rent.
Tiktaalik 5y ago
Years ago, before BC brought in it's foreign buyer tax it was a problem. Local builders were literally opening up sales offices in Taiwan, Hong Kong and other major cities in Asia. We know it was a significant issue because the government actually shared the data, and it showed some alarming trends. What is remarkable here in contrast is that the Federal government hasn't shared any data at all. (Ironically when they were elected in 2015 they promised "evidence based decision making" ..haha)

eru 5y ago

Foreigners are people to.