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I don't believe that company is a 'force for good', but I don't think they would be able to corner the market in the face of actually abundant housing, either.

by davidw 4y ago

I don't believe that company is a 'force for good', but I don't think they would be able to corner the market in the face of actually abundant housing, either. It's like we keep looking for the bogeyman that's driving up prices so we don't have to face up to the real problem: our cities' policies that prevent homes from being built, and our neighbors who support them. If you'd like to join an organized effort to fight for housing, these are good groups: * https://yimbyaction.org/2021/ https://yimbyaction.org/2021/ * https://welcomingneighbors.us/ https://welcomingneighbors.us/

andrepd 4y ago
There are housing price crises literally all over the world, even in places where restrictive city policies are not an issue. I'm sure supply constraints make it worse, but the underlying problem is financial in nature: because of making housing a financial asset.
- davidw 4y ago
  The housing crisis is far worse in places where artificial constraints make it so. In general, the financial side of things drives the constraints, rather than the other way around. If I view my house as an investment, it's in my interest to see a constrained supply so that the value of my house goes up, up, up.
- erik_seaberg 4y ago
  Where is there a housing crisis with no restrictions on construction, and how much construction has been happening there relative to population growth? Compared to the Bay Area, there are many, many places with vacancies at 80% (Weed, CA) to 99% (Detroit) lower prices. The problem is that everyone wants to live in a few good employment markets with local housing shortages imposed by zoning.
  - Spivak 4y ago
    People want to live where industry is? Woah there. If you call that a problem then there will never be a solution for the rest of forever. Any sane housing policy has to take this into account not pretend it’s the laborer’s fault. If you want people to move to different places then you have to get some businesses to start or move there until you get natural momentum.
yieldcrv 4y ago
I think a productive step would be to force companies like realpage to publish all of their rents and history in real time And then make a model that shows actual supply and demand in the area This would be the first time that uniform data would be available thanks to SaaS companies To skip the legislative issues of categorizing these kind of companies to begin with, it Could come with a settlement offer with DOJ I think I’ll wrote to the DOJ about it

by davidw 4y ago

andrepd 4y ago

There are housing price crises literally all over the world, even in places where restrictive city policies are not an issue. I'm sure supply constraints make it worse, but the underlying problem is financial in nature: because of making housing a financial asset.

davidw 4y ago
The housing crisis is far worse in places where artificial constraints make it so. In general, the financial side of things drives the constraints, rather than the other way around. If I view my house as an investment, it's in my interest to see a constrained supply so that the value of my house goes up, up, up.
erik_seaberg 4y ago
Where is there a housing crisis with no restrictions on construction, and how much construction has been happening there relative to population growth? Compared to the Bay Area, there are many, many places with vacancies at 80% (Weed, CA) to 99% (Detroit) lower prices. The problem is that everyone wants to live in a few good employment markets with local housing shortages imposed by zoning.
- Spivak 4y ago
  People want to live where industry is? Woah there. If you call that a problem then there will never be a solution for the rest of forever. Any sane housing policy has to take this into account not pretend it’s the laborer’s fault. If you want people to move to different places then you have to get some businesses to start or move there until you get natural momentum.

yieldcrv 4y ago

I think a productive step would be to force companies like realpage to publish all of their rents and history in real time And then make a model that shows actual supply and demand in the area This would be the first time that uniform data would be available thanks to SaaS companies To skip the legislative issues of categorizing these kind of companies to begin with, it Could come with a settlement offer with DOJ I think I’ll wrote to the DOJ about it