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N1AK

Conrad wrote: »

To put to bed this urban myth that Europeans love being renters, and bare in mind many are former communist states so ownership numbers will increase;

Highest owner occupier levels in Europe: Romania, Croatia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Norway & Iceland

You're completely wrong about former communist states. You said they have low ownership levels when they have shockingly high ownership levels. That should be a shock though as you were claiming that ownership levels in West Germany were about the same as the UK earlier which is a complete nonsense as well. Even by this dubious measure you've chosen the difference is very clear.

I'm not sure if I was in your place I'd be more embarrassed if I didn't know this and I was making up what I was saying, or if I knew this and was foolish enough to think that no one would check the easily available information to see I was talking nonsense.

the_flying_pig

it's totally a myth that the UK is a country of homeowners/obsessed with home ownership/whatever, a myth often pedalled by estate agent types looking to explain why the price of UK pwoperdee will always skyrocket.

UK home ownership levels are just normal, neither high nor low - e.g. see the following [tho i'm not sure i 100% believe every last number in the table] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_home_ownership_rate

what is true, though, is that a couople of European countries, Germany in particular, have much lower rates

padington

There is a high desire to be an owner occupier though in the Uk that's for sure. It's for a number of reasons which probably includes the proven experience in the UK that property is a very profitable investment. Which then becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Owning property also used to also enshrine you democratic rights historically which I think may have contributed to the unique 'home is my castle' - class based attitude to property but I'm sure a historian could share more light on that one.

Percy1983

padington wrote: »

There is a high desire to be an owner occupier though in the Uk that's for sure. It's for a number of reasons which probably includes the proven experience in the UK that property is a very profitable investment. Which then becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Owning property also used to also enshrine you democratic rights historically which I think may have contributed to the unique 'home is my castle' - class based attitude to property but I'm sure a historian could share more light on that one.

I will say profit has absolutely nothing to do with why I have bought.

I had 2 options.

1, Pay for housing for the rest of my life an be at the mercy of a stranger with 2 months notice for the rest of my life.

2, Pay for housing for 25 years and then be payment free and the only person how can move me out is me.

Not really much of a choice if you can afford option 2.

padington

Percy1983 wrote: »

I will say profit has absolutely nothing to do with why I have bought.

I had 2 options.

1, Pay for housing for the rest of my life an be at the mercy of a stranger with 2 months notice for the rest of my life.

2, Pay for housing for 25 years and then be payment free and the only person how can move me out is me.

Not really much of a choice if you can afford option 2.

Yeah same, the fact it goes up doesn't matter because I'm not going to sell it. Actially its a bit annoying because my family can't afford to live near by more everything goes up. Quicker we cap BTL monopolies and allow those mortgages to go to FTB the better.

SteveV2

I never win. My mate always lands on my stuff but just flashes me his housing benefit card and smiles?

shortchanged_2

Conrad wrote: »

To put to bed this urban myth that Europeans love being renters, and bare in mind many are former communist states so ownership numbers will increase;

In 2010, over one quarter (27.9 %) of the EU-27 population lived in an owner-occupied home for which there was an outstanding loan or mortgage, while more than two fifths (42.9 %) of the population lived in an owner-occupied home without a loan or mortgage. As such, just over seven out of every ten (70.8 %) persons in the EU-27 lived in owner-occupied dwellings

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Housing_statistics

I didn't say anything about european renters in general Conrad. I just disputed what you stated about Germany's levels of owner occupiers being a similar level to the UK's. As of course you know now it is much lower.

Harry_Boyle

shortchanged wrote: »

I didn't say anything about european renters in general Conrad. I just disputed what you stated about Germany's levels of owner occupiers being a similar level to the UK's. As of course you know now it is much lower.

"First-time buyers in Britain are struggling. House prices remain high, mortgages are hard to come by, and deposits are difficult to find. Many are now renting until long into their 30s, but survey after survey suggests that homeownership is still the ultimate goal for a British family. Yet in Europe's most economically successful country, Germany, renting is the norm. Is the grass really grüner on the continent?

As the Germans like to say, "Jein" – or yes and no. For a start, renting is not necessarily the cheap option. In thriving cities like Hamburg, Cologne and Munich, tenants might be spending up to half their wages on rent. And the prospect of paying a landlord well into old age appeals to Germans no more than it does to the Brits.

"The interest in home ownership is certainly growing," says Dr Jan Linsin, head of research Germany at property services company CB Richard Ellis. "

"The Rics report says it is "misleading to classify Germany simply as a nation of renters", though it acknowledges the country has the highest proportion of people renting in the EU. Latest data shows the homeownership rate stable at around 42%"

shortchanged_2

Harry_Boyle wrote: »

"The Rics report says it is "misleading to classify Germany simply as a nation of renters", though it acknowledges the country has the highest proportion of people renting in the EU. Latest data shows the homeownership rate stable at around 42%"

Cracking contradictory statement from Rics there.

When obviously the majority of Germans are renters. :doh:

Harry_Boyle

shortchanged wrote: »

Cracking contradictory statement from Rics there.

When obviously the majority of Germans are renters. :doh:

When you have 42% of the population owning homes, you can't then categorise them as being a nation of renters. What's the problem?

If 42% of the UK were vegetarians, would logic dictate that we were a nation of meat eaters?