'House Prices: Would you prefer them to rise or fall?' poll results/discussion

m00head

The same poll commissioned by the BBC has got a similar result:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7395041.stm

172

An interesting discussion - but I remain somewhat puzzled as to the reason some people WANT to keep house prices high, and even seem to argue that higher prices are good for the individual and the economy. The only winners are the government what LOVE higher fuel, housing, food prices as they gain more taxes. Don't be fooled for one moment that Brown et al understands or cares for you - this present political elite care only for themselves and their cronies. Whatever way prices go people will be hurt - higher or lower will be awful for millions - only a few can really gain . The question is not what suits you or me -but how to make good housing affordable and societies cohesive. All forms of subsidised and supported housing are not a solution - they only serve to mask and facilitate a housing price regime that is failing - rather has failed.

There is no economic rationale for higher house prices as all it does it increase ones monthly outgoings, reduce high street expenditure, and increase homelessness; of course the flip side is that the government, estate agents, solicitors, banks, and building societies hoard YOUR hard earned money - which is why they are trying to keep the present unjust and damaging paradigm.

When people remove housing from business, invests in real economic ventures, and live from income not imagination, then - and only then will we reap the rewards from nurturing a sound, productive, competitive, and rewarding economy.

I am one of those fortunate people who can benefit hugely from silly house prices - but I want no part on in such dirty money. I am responsible to work for my money - not screw my neighbor. :rolleyes:

t_i_g_e_rr

I'm not an economist. Is anyone on this board an economist? Does anyone in the world actually understand this "economy" thing we have created? Anyway...

Due to high house prices it seems few people can afford first time buyer houses, which I think is bad in itself, but this has now resulted in little market movement, which has recently resulted in my friend (a builder) having his wage cut, someone else (a brick maker) lacking work and worried for his job, estate agents closing their branches - meaning job losses, and me (working in the office of a builder) also slightly worried for my job. These things would be fixed if the market could move (at whatever price). If people lose their jobs they can’t pay mortgages. We can hypothesize if a house price crash might be bad for the economy, but the current situation surely is bad for the economy.

Some people want a crash, not so that they can have a bigger house, but so they can have a house at all. For this reason, I think the "I'm alright Jack" cap fits those who already have houses better than those who don't (and want a crash)! That is, if they choose to wear it, so bravo to those parents who have called for a house price crash for their children!

Johan

A drop in house prices is happening now, so no matter what's being said on this forum :lipsrseal ..so sod the house prices.. meanwhile what's more important is that the cost of living really has gone up for everybody...petrol, oil, food, electricity, gas....there might be a recession on the way....by the way my wages did not go up!
We do live in a housing association house :j and we will have the option of buying it after 3 years for peanuts and when we do we will not be moving!:D

Doc_N

Fantastic news that house prices are dropping so fast. Nobody in their right mind will buy a house at the moment (unless they're forced to by a job move or something like that) knowing that it will be worth substantially less in a year's time.

And all those buy to let people, their rents not even covering their mortgage payments, and their houses falling in value daily - what joy it brings to see them suffering after years of gloating and screwing the first time buyers.

Falling house prices don't help me or hurt me. I've owned my house for many years and have no plans to move. But they do help my kids and thousands of other first time buyers, who will at last (after prices have collapsed further) be able to buy their own homes again. Hurray!!! And I look forward to continuing to watch the BTL merchants squealing and going bust.

BigMikeyG

I am a 21 year old graduate with a nice job in London paying 23,000 a year. However I cannot afford to buy anywhere in london or the outside, I currently live in my grandparents empty house in essex that is about to be sold. I do actually analyse property returns as a job and I am eagerly awaiting the price crash, having see a drop in prices in the first quarter of just under 4%, I am hoping this will rise to 10% before dec. I know some of you are saying that it will hurt the UK economy as a whole and I wholeheartly agree with you but sometimes you have to look after no.1 and this is one of those times. My job is very secure and if prices do drop I will finally be able to make an inprint in property ladder and have somewhere to call my own home.

christie1_2

Fall drastically, if first time buyers cannot get on the ladder, then sooner or later no one else will be able to sell.