Blue in the Face
I'm happy to see that someone has actually managed to point out what I've been saying for years about the housing market in the South West i.e. :
Higher than average house prices * lower than average wages = catastrophe
If my wife does manage to get a teaching job down here then we'll at least be able to qualify for a shared ownership property but what about everyone else that doesn't?
A shortage of new housing (and complete lack of council housing) has meant that those who do build new homes down here can charge what they like regardless of the prices in the surrounding area.
The bit that pisses me off the most is the jammy toe-rags that managed to get a house for 50% of its value 10 years ago (or more) and have watched it more than treble in value since. All they've done is take out huge loans against the equity and spent it on flash cars, flatscreen tvs and designer clothes. My generation will never get that kind of opportunity and we're effectively paying for theirs.
I moved down here in 1997 when you could get a three bedroomed maisonette for £30,000. The same ones are now selling for £120,000+
Roughly 70% of Plymouth's housing is either ex-council or ex-armed forces. That gives you an idea of how big the boat I've missed was.
Thanks to PC Bloggs for the link.
posted by Phill @ 9:31 pm
2 comments
2 Comments:
It's going to get a lot worse real soon too - when these HIPs come in, watch the liquidity of the market drop from inadequate to pitiful.
There's only one thing for it - we have to urgently loosen the planning restrictions so developers can build quickly. if that means scrapping or suspending the green belt, so be it.
Not only that but when developers do build they need to do so densely.
This area in particular needs less 4-5 bedroomed detatched houses and more three bedroomed terraced starter homes.
There's been a flood of construction for trendy flats around the docks but it isn't the kind of property that's required. And even if it was no-one around here can afford it at the prices they're asking for.
The whole green belt policy is a farce anyway. It's supposed to stop large towns from growing but all that happens is small towns and villages grow instead and the roads that link them get congested.
As long as you protect woodland and wildlife then where's the harm in building over a few farms? They're for agriculture what factories are for industry.
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