The problem is that the focus on "greedy landlords" or "greedy corporations" or "greedy homeowners" is that it suggests the solution is to make people stop bein

The problem is that the focus on "greedy landlords" or "greedy corporations" or "greedy homeowners" is that it suggests the solution is to make people stop being greedy. As a "greedy homeowner" that's very convenient for me because I know it'll never happen. No, don't increase my property taxes, don't ask for CGT on my primary residence, just keep imploring me to "stop being greedy". Unfortunately "greed" is about the only thing you see in the discourse on the matter in Ireland, which really remains pretty unsophisticated and unable to comprehend second-order effects. I posted once or twice on one of "Ciaran's crazy house prices" rants about greed saying that we needed systemic change and the focus on "greed" was absurd - humans in Ireland are no more greedy than anywhere else - and was shouted down. Similarly, if you say "letting tenants remain in properties for months or years without paying rent might discourage people from renting out homes and make the problem worse" or "making it impossible to evict people will result in more places never being rented out in the first place" then you're some kind of heartless bastard. Everyone is greedy! Do you go to your boss and ask for a pay cut? Do you put your car on donedeal and say "10,000 or lowest offer"? What we need is _systemic_ change that acknowledges people are greedy and produces good outcomes despite that greed. Not to mention that the idea of selling to someone based on something besides price invites all sort of prejudice and bias. Should I choose to sell to a nice local family and tell the immigrants to go to hell? Should I sell to someone who shares my own political views? How would you have me decide? Finally, a lot of people are selfless until faced with the reality of the situation. The next house I buy? It's going to the highest bidder. The best way for me to make sure that bidder is me is to get the best price I can now for my current house. It's going to the highest bidder.