Two-thirds of the British public want house prices to FALL

carolt

Rather than 'doom and gloomers' being some rare minority group, as some on here would like to believe, and many headlines would suggest, actually, nearly 2/3 of the British public (well 64% actually - I rounded up, if you're being pernickety) want house prices to fall.

The figure is even higher among the young, unsurprisingly.

See here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/may/18/house-prices-rise-rightmove

(Second para from end.)

What this shows is how out of touch most newspaper headlines, talking about house price rises in terms of joy, and falls as really bad news, are with their readers.

It also shows how out of touch government policy (and the opposition too) is with the electorate's wish that house prices should FALL.

Obviously, the revelations of the last 2 weeks make it clear exactly why MPs all wanted house prices to keep rising at any cost to the country - they all had at least 1 second home, and in 1 case, 23!

They are clearly NOT representing the overwhelming wish of their constituents - to allow house prices to fall to their natural, market level, so that ordinary people can afford to buy/trade up.

lostinrates

Of course, and selfishly, I'm among them.

On the other hand I'd also like world peace, Charlie and the Chocolate factory to be a true story and to be able to talk to animals. None is going to happen.

It will be something other than our ant that determines what happens IMHO.

smartn

An interesting statistic which I well believe. Who benefits from high house prices anyway? I own my house but its a place to live in, not an investment. I have two young children and want house prices to go down for there sake. I feel sorry for anyone who bought at peak but in the long run many, many people will be a lot better off because house prices are dropping.

kennyboy66_2

carolt wrote: »

Rather than 'doom and gloomers' being some rare minority group, as some on here would like to believe, and many headlines would suggest, actually, nearly 2/3 of the British public (well 64% actually - I rounded up, if you're being pernickety) want house prices to fall.

The figure is even higher among the young, unsurprisingly.

Wouldn't wish to be "pernickety", but the quote was "want house prices stay flat or fall."

Yours,

Pesky pedantic poster.

Pssst

The market will decide,just as it decided that prices would rise dramatically. When people have to live hand to mouth or pay a substantial part of their income in mortgage fees then house prices are too high.

wolvoman

carolt wrote: »

Rather than 'doom and gloomers' being some rare minority group, as some on here would like to believe, and many headlines would suggest, actually, nearly 2/3 of the British public (well 64% actually - I rounded up, if you're being pernickety) want house prices to fall.

The figure is even higher among the young, unsurprisingly.

See here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/may/18/house-prices-rise-rightmove

(Second para from end.)

What this shows is how out of touch most newspaper headlines, talking about house price rises in terms of joy, and falls as really bad news, are with their readers.

It also shows how out of touch government policy (and the opposition too) is with the electorate's wish that house prices should FALL.

Obviously, the revelations of the last 2 weeks make it clear exactly why MPs all wanted house prices to keep rising at any cost to the country - they all had at least 1 second home, and in 1 case, 23!

They are clearly NOT representing the overwhelming wish of their constituents - to allow house prices to fall to their natural, market level, so that ordinary people can afford to buy/trade up.

I wonder how many of those 64% actually also want the associated economic pain that goes with house price falls.

The construction industry jobs lost, the car industry jobs lost and so on.

carolt

smartn wrote: »

An interesting statistic which I well believe. Who benefits from high house prices anyway? I own my house but its a place to live in, not an investment. I have two young children and want house prices to go down for there sake. I feel sorry for anyone who bought at peak but in the long run many, many people will be a lot better off because house prices are dropping.

It's good to hear your views, as the assumption is that people like you who own their own homes, all universally want prices to rise to the skies and dread any fall in prices.

When, as you've explained, that is the opposite of your view.

Possibly the reason MPs have such a hard time recognising that people like you exist is because they credit everyone else with the same level of selfishness and rapacious greed that they themselves have so amply demonstrated these last few weeks.

Graham_Devon

The only people who want them to rise is people making money out of them rising.

How many of us want fuel (heating and transport) and food to rise to a point where we have to indebt outrselves to buy it. Well, I'm sure those in the oil companies would be impressed, as would tescos if they could put prices up to make more profit.

But for the rest of us it's a nightmare and we want to spend less.

This is the exact same situation with a house we actually want to live in. Who wants the prices to go up? It serves no purpose other than some people getting rich on others pain.

carolt

kennyboy66 wrote: »

Wouldn't wish to be "pernickety", but the quote was "want house prices stay flat or fall."

Yours,

Pesky pedantic poster.

That's after 20% falls.

They don't want a return to 2007 peaks.

They welcome lower prices.

JayScottGreenspan

I also think the typical media associations need to be challenged.

When the price of bread or milk or petrol goes up everyone is quite rightly mortified - we can buy less for our money and this reduces our standard of living.

For some reason the papers always celebrate when house prices go up - hurrah, I can now get less for my money; hurrah, the average standard of living of the population over their lifetime has just been reduced; hurrah, my children will be forced to subsist on baked beans just to be able to afford a studio flat.

Cheaper houses means a lower cost of living, which means a better standard of living. It's good. Let's have more of that, please.

Pobby

Just wish the darn things hadn`t shot through the roof as they have. I see nothing other than grief being caused by it. As a home owner I just wish they had gone up in line with inflation. Instead they soared higher and higher and contributed greatly to the mess we are in now.