Wednesday, Sep 22, 2010
Why the high house prices?
Telegraph: British Isles 'worst place to live in Europe'
The British Isles are the worst place to live in Europe, according to a new survey that claims residents endure higher prices, work harder and receive poorer public services than their counterparts on the continent. AND HOUSES PRICES ARE SO HIGH MAKES IT WORSE FOR THE UNDER 30's
Posted by khards @ 10:35 AM (1366 views) Add Comment
15 Comments
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1. drewster said...
How can other countries afford it all? Some European countries (esp. France) enjoy free university education, shorter working weeks, cheaper housing, decent healthcare, and earlier retirement. Why can't Britain afford this? Who is getting the money that otherwise could be paying for these things?
2. Crunchy said...
@1. A New global infrastructure?
It's the questions Neo!
3. doomwatch said...
I am afraid to say it's more like under 40s now rather than
the under 30s. The average man on the street would be
much better off if we changed to the Euro. Only the crims and the
elite don't want this as they'd have to declare their I'll gotten
gains and dodgey off shore evasion structures.
4. tyrellcorporation said...
'The average man on the street would be
much better off if we changed to the Euro'
Duh! Ask an Irishman or a Grecian the same question Doomwatch. Get real.
5. khards said...
"Who is getting the money that otherwise could be paying for these things?" Hmmmm let me think, who get million pound bounses?Bankers? Who get paid over 50k for working 2 days per week?Politicians?
6. braindeed said...
Agree with the above comments. I think that the basic argument comes down to direct v indirect taxation. The big move towards the latter in Government policy and ,its clear preference amongst the RWP, combined with the culture of 'I'm alright Jack' in the boardroom and upper tier management has made this unenviable island state.
It’s well known that the heat of city bonuses has sucked up a raincloud of cash to bloat the prices paid at the very top end of the housing market, but the disparities in organisations as diverse as SME and Health /LA has contributed similarly. I know I’m urinating in a headwind with that view, but it’s made us all more spiteful, fearful, and less civil in the process, I believe.
7. Coco said...
Anyone tried living in Australia? I have and returned to England to find living costs hugely cheaper. My food bill alone is a third of what it was in OZ and in the 12 months we've been back, interest rates over there have risen 7 times in 8 months and they are going up again.
Do wish people wouldn't knock Britain. I am so GLAD to be home. I think it has a heart and a soul that you can't find anywhere else.
8. timmy t said...
Agree with khards - years back we focused on wealth creation - I don't like the term because you can't actually create wealth, but we had industries which brought money into the country, so it made us better off relative to other countries. Now our focus is on wealth distribution, where everything is engineered to benefit those at the top. The significant cash goes to the very few, while the rest of us are expected to work in Tesco's to service their every need. The gap between those that have and those that have not has never been wider.
9. Crunchy said...
6. timmy t... and that's before they wipe out most of the middle rungs.
It's not good to know more than how to tie your shoe laces whilst telling the time, you extremist free thinker you.
10. rumble said...
"Now our focus is on wealth distribution, where everything is engineered to benefit those at the top."
Maybe wealth accumulation. Survival of the fittest - who's fittest in a capitalist environment?
11. Sarah said...
"who's fittest in a capitalist environment?"
Survival of the fittest - who's the biggest in a corporate monopolocracy?
12. letthemfall said...
timmy t
Well, our labour is wealth creation, provided we are producing a good or service of value to someone. But as you say, the cash reward does not necessarily bear relation to the wealth created - hence poverty on the one side, revolting riches on the other (the smallest side). Inequality - that is the fundamental problem.
13. sureseam said...
My brother-in-law who has kids in a private school; confided that many of the shiny 4WD Volvos and BMWs appearing daily were on extended credit, borrowed against over mortgaged property backed by a self-certified mortgage.
So if France and Greece imagine they can hand out benefits - financed by debts and deficits; then it is their affair so long as we don't get to pay for it. Being out of the euro seems to reduce our potential portion of the Greek burden; whilst keeping currency options open for devaluing Sterling if we need to.
The notion that things are worse here than say Spain is interesting since Spain has unemployment approaching 50% in key younger age groups.
My impression with much of this is that we are hitting withdrawal symptoms; with those pleading sirens on the political left wanting yet another shot of deficit spending. Like a drug addict, we have to decide whether the heroin is the problem or the withdrawal is the problem.
Key decisions about the pain to be endured were made during the New Labour years with those oh so pleasureable injections of deficit spending. Now we are left to deal with the mess and yes it hurts.
Often this is made to look like a political issue of left and right. After hearing former Eastern Europeans; I believe it is largely a failure of honest accounting at the highest levels.
14. timmy t said...
Letthemfall - Labour isn't wealth creation. When you work, wealth is transferred from the employer or the customer to you. If you didn't get that money, either they would keep it or it would go to someone else. No wealth is created.
15. Crunchy said...
11. Sarah said...who's the biggest in a corporate monopolocracy?
LOL. Ever considered comedy?