Strolls, you seem to think that people borrow against their properties, ie remortgage their properties, in order to spend the dosh on their lifestyles. Have you got any figures for this? In my personal experience people get mortgages in order to buy their home over a very long period of time, and paying their mortgage takes a sizeable chunk of their income. When they have paid it off, or it becomes proportionately smaller over the years, their disposable income goes up. They get other loans to pay for things like cars. Oldsters can of course do equity release on their house, but that is in effect selling it and then leasing it back until death, and not getting any of the benefit of rising prices, or have anything to leave to family (whatever your or my view on inheritance might be).It's certainly the old that are benefitting from the current situation. More supply, lower prices - great for new buyers but terrible for existing owners. A realistic housing market would mean that the ridiculous levels of property 'equity' that some benefit from and borrow against just wouldn't exist.
More supply and lower prices is bad for those who own their property outright (about 20% of all households, with 35% being rented and the rest mortgaged) who actually want to sell their property instead of just living in it. But it’s really terrible for those who have taken on big mortgages in order to get on the ladder or move up it and who would find themselves in negative equity.
The property market in this country is nuts, and has been for a very long time.
Last edited:
