Monday, Apr 05, 2010
The "demand" myth exploded
Guardian: Half a million houses empty
So we need affordable housing? Here it is folks. Now, remind me again, who was that property developer in the news moaning about planning so they could build more little boxes?
Posted by chrisch @ 08:59 AM (937 views) Add Comment
9 Comments
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1. Open Minded said...
'Demand myth exploded'? If there is demand to live in abandoned innercity and brownfield projects then, yes, you could be right. Otherwise your headline is entirely misleading. By virtue of the fact that you are posting articles with lots of added spin, I suspect you are holding out for a property somewhat more desirable than those alluded to in this article but you are constrained by financial cicumstance.
You move quickly to denounce articles that do not support your views as VI 'spin' and 'hype' yet you employ the same sensationalist tactics to suit your own clause. I suggest you use more accurate titles in future that tell the full story.
2. holyroller said...
I wonder what is classed as an empty house. I have seen quite a few nearly completed developments and houses, also there are a lot of homes near where I live that I have never seen anyone living in, probably 2nd homes.
Renovating abandoned houses isn't as simple as it sounds. We looked at a few for sale a while back, one had been empty 6 years. The house seemed a bargain on the surface, but when we took our builder friend to have a look, the hidden damage would actually cost more than the house was worth to repair. In fact it was cheaper to knock the house down and start again. This particular house did sell, and was back on the house two months later with very little done to it.
Its true that the housing shortage is a myth, but the idea of popping half a million people into a house that has been abandoned or left empty is also not that straight forward.
3. cyril said...
Problem is these empty ones tend to be in places nobody wants to live. That's why they're empty. D'oh!
4. holyroller said...
@Cyril: Yeah this is very true. I've driven past empty houses in Sheffield, the houses look okay, but they are in areas you really don't want to live and you definitely don't want to bring up your kids in these areas.
There are quite a lot of empty houses in Scotland also, some are decent houses, but the areas are so remote that it is impracticle for most people to live in.
5. mark wadsworth said...
This is yet another issue that Land Value Tax would sort out.
There are dozens of reasons why a house might be empty, some innocent others malicious, but if you had to hand over cold hard cash whether it was occupied or not, then you'd be much keener to get paying tenants in or sell it (unless you are rich enough to pay the LVT on your holiday cottage and second homes, in which case fine).
LVT would by definition be less than Council Tax in not so nice areas and for smaller houses, so would make these houses (in relative terms) more attractive.
6. tyrellcorporation said...
I know a chap here in Exeter who owns 7 empty houses, some in very nice areas. He's basically very wealthy, doesn't need to rent them and doesn't need to sell them. Very odd I know but he treats them like a land bank or just chunks of gold.
7. mark said...
Mark W, I am curious have you lobbied the government for the land value tax? Or approached local MP's? Or maybe got some newspaper coverage for it?
8. mark wadsworth said...
Mark, my chums in the Labour Land Campaign have been lobbying them for years and have, unsurprisingly, achieved diddly squat. I've approached all sorts of people and the answer is usually 'No chance'.
9. mark said...
have you thought about a campaign through myspace or facebook? build up some following, then get the papers or tv involved