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Or... you could try the supply and demand method. Increase supply (build more), keep demand steady (sane interest rates, sane immigration rates, speaking as an

Or... you could try the supply and demand method. Increase supply (build more), keep demand steady (sane interest rates, sane immigration rates, speaking as an immigrant), and housing costs simply must fall. Yes, even if a single corporation buys every last house in the UK. Fight supply and demand at your peril.

jjcon 3y ago
Given UK age demographics that is going to happen over the next few decades anyway, putting all efforts into increasing supply could lead to the opposite problem in the not too far future.
- betaby 3y ago
  Unlikely, all UN demographics predictions were/are wrong. Population is mostly grows everywhere unless that region a war zone. Being that growth driven by births, immigration, refugies or illegal move is irrelevant in context of supply/demand.
  - jfim 3y ago
    > Population is mostly grows everywhere unless that region a war zone. Define everywhere. Japan and Greece have seen population declines in the last few years, for example.
    - betaby 3y ago
      It's more 'define the interval'. For Japan and Greece that's more a stagnation - population didn't grow or fell much in last 30 years. On a interval of 2-3 generation (20-60 years) most of countries show growth, not decline in population. Many times predicted population decline in Germany turns to be slow growth during last 30 years.
seydor 3y ago
the war has made construction hugely more expensive in many countries The globalization of the real estate market has always been a setup for a scam and everybody knows it, yet keeps doing it, and the whole west is now stuck in this catch-22.
scotty79 3y ago
> Increase supply Supply can be vastly increased by punishing large owners severely for letting their properties stay empty.
- FredPret 3y ago
  But they are being punished for having unproductive capital. Every year they’re losing a big chunk of money to inflation and opportunity cost.
  - brailsafe 3y ago
    Not if the empty homes are just perpetually rising assets with minimal servicing cost.
  - scotty79 3y ago
    > But they are being punished for having unproductive capital. Yes, and in some circumstances that might have been enough. But the fact that we got to where we are now proves that we are not in thise circumstances, because it isn't enough.

jjcon 3y ago

Given UK age demographics that is going to happen over the next few decades anyway, putting all efforts into increasing supply could lead to the opposite problem in the not too far future.

betaby 3y ago
Unlikely, all UN demographics predictions were/are wrong. Population is mostly grows everywhere unless that region a war zone. Being that growth driven by births, immigration, refugies or illegal move is irrelevant in context of supply/demand.
- jfim 3y ago
  > Population is mostly grows everywhere unless that region a war zone. Define everywhere. Japan and Greece have seen population declines in the last few years, for example.
  - betaby 3y ago
    It's more 'define the interval'. For Japan and Greece that's more a stagnation - population didn't grow or fell much in last 30 years. On a interval of 2-3 generation (20-60 years) most of countries show growth, not decline in population. Many times predicted population decline in Germany turns to be slow growth during last 30 years.

seydor 3y ago

the war has made construction hugely more expensive in many countries The globalization of the real estate market has always been a setup for a scam and everybody knows it, yet keeps doing it, and the whole west is now stuck in this catch-22.

scotty79 3y ago

> Increase supply Supply can be vastly increased by punishing large owners severely for letting their properties stay empty.

FredPret 3y ago
But they are being punished for having unproductive capital. Every year they’re losing a big chunk of money to inflation and opportunity cost.
- brailsafe 3y ago
  Not if the empty homes are just perpetually rising assets with minimal servicing cost.
- scotty79 3y ago
  > But they are being punished for having unproductive capital. Yes, and in some circumstances that might have been enough. But the fact that we got to where we are now proves that we are not in thise circumstances, because it isn't enough.