Wimbledon88 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Britain has always had housing bubbles, but what astounds me about this latest one is how many other countries have been sucked into the great merry-go-round, countries that surely have never really experienced HPI before, such as Latvia or Bulgaria. Are there any countries that have steadfastly refused to join in? I can only really think of Germany and, to my mind, possibly Austria. And are there so many countries that have had their own genuine HPI, without input from flipping Brits looking to snap up a second home somewhere (USA? Russia? Iran?!?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Dont know about Iran, but didnt Iraq have a huge bubble in the green zone or whatever it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Liebenstein Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Japan has been bubble free for almost 20 years. I think their deserve compliments for their success in avoiding the instability caused by bubbles. The Japanese economy is normal, its our that stuffed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24gray24 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 The bits of France Brits didn't go to? Ditto Portugal and Spain away from the coasts? My best guess. Argentina, Chile? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Japan has been bubble free for almost 20 years. I think their deserve compliments for their success in avoiding the instability caused by bubbles.The Japanese economy is normal, its our that stuffed. Japan's bubble still hasn't finished collapsing yet. The Inuit economy probably hasn't suffered HPI due there being large amounts of ice to build with at present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cavey Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Zimbabwe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_2008 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Switzerland has had HPI virtually the same as general inflation for the last 500 years. Also, Switzerland don't have comedians. The only record historical event when Swiss people ever laughed was when a British Estate Agent turned up and said "Small country, dense population, limited land, supply and demand……" The whole country laughed so much, there is now a national holiday to commemorate the occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Liebenstein Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Japan's bubble still hasn't finished collapsing yet.The Inuit economy probably hasn't suffered HPI due there being large amounts of ice to build with at present. Apparently Tokyo is again the worlds most expensive city. Given Japan hasn't grown for 20 years, I am assuming it means we are still catching them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wren Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Finland has a housing bubble. No significant British input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellerkat Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Here's a 2006 graphic from the Economist: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24gray24 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Thanks for the graph YK. I'm amazed Canada so low (relatively). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athom Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Switzerland has had HPI virtually the same as general inflation for the last 500 years. Also, Switzerland don't have comedians. The only record historical event when Swiss people ever laughed was when a British Estate Agent turned up and said "Small country, dense population, limited land, supply and demand……" The whole country laughed so much, there is now a national holiday to commemorate the occasion. Truth in that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VacantPossession Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 It's not surprising that barely a single country is immune to HPI. Among the developing nations who have climbed on the bandwagon, with disastrous results, is probably a catastrophic misunderstanding of the paradigms which they feel define their perception of new freedoms. A classic example are the former Eastern Block countries which, like Russia, have abused the welcome political freedoms in order to go economically from one extreme (state control) to another which is arguable worse for those not quick or greedy enough to react in time (corporate and mafia control). The result is that, if anything, the meltdowns these countries are now experiencing are even more of a disaster than the established Northern European states are experiencing. Instead of using the new freedoms as an opportunity to construct a fairer nation with better distribution of wealth, and the putting in place of solid institutions which respect the economic rights of everyone, these nations have now largely been taken over by thugs and spivs who have cashed in on the now gaping loopholes, and in the process they have ruined it for everyone else. The end result is that there is now effectively not much difference between the former criminals who ran state monopolies and the new breed of corporate criminals who are doing the same job with even more profit for themselves than before. For the average citizen, the outcome is roughly the same: Poor infrastructure, poverty and one nasty heirachy replaced by yet another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assetrichcashpoor Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 There's PhD student at work who is originally from Norway. He complained that in Norway it was really hard to make any serious money because nearly all the housing is socially rented, and didn't double in price every 5 years like it does over here. I think he might have changed his tune now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussieboy Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 (edited) Switzerland has had HPI virtually the same as general inflation for the last 500 years. Also, Switzerland don't have comedians. The only record historical event when Swiss people ever laughed was when a British Estate Agent turned up and said "Small country, dense population, limited land, supply and demand……" The whole country laughed so much, there is now a national holiday to commemorate the occasion. And then to calm them down again, he showed them your joke. I'm not sure whether Switzerland is such a good role model. Houses are trading 15% below 1990 prices according to this and homeownership is rising, albeit from jack to buggerall. If you want zero HPI, it can be achieved as these guys have done by reducing liquidity by placing most property into the hands of a few, putting huge ownership conditions on foreign ownership and turning your population into renters. Not popular with the great British public. Houses will be cheaper, but you will not be allowed to buy one. Edited for typo. Edited July 13, 2009 by aussieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromage Frais Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Tunisia in last 5 years has seen prices go up 150% People still trying to hypeit as next morocco however low wages high unemployemt and you cannot get a nce house in a decent area for under 500,000 dinars (250,000£) expensive houses expensive cars wages the same employment the same Naturally they all think its different and that prices can double again making them more expensive than Europe. Debt is wealth here also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 The bits of France Brits didn't go to? Ditto Portugal and Spain away from the coasts? Portugal's rural properties have a dynamic price structure. When a foreign voice is heard the price often multiplies by three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim123 Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Portugal's rural properties have a dynamic price structure.When a foreign voice is heard the price often multiplies by three. How does that work when the price is advertised in the EA's window? tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 How does that work when the price is advertised in the EA's window?tim Either the price is already inflated or the seller increases the price when he/she/ - (& often 'they' by the score thxs to the crazy inheritance laws) - finds out the buyer is foreign & is prepared to pay the asking price; so it must be far too cheap. Some properties are never advertised with a 'normal' EA; mine wasn't, I'm pleased to say The Portuguese never think their property is overvalued, merely that the right buyer hasn't come along. So the price wil be increased by around 5%/year regardless. The rural market can be sent into confusion & disarray if just one idiot pays a highly-inflated price. Everything else is then trebled, nothing sells, & neighbours go to their graves without selling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swissy_fit Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 And then to calm them down again, he showed them your joke.I'm not sure whether Switzerland is such a good role model. Houses are trading 15% below 1990 prices according to this and homeownership is rising, albeit from jack to buggerall. If you want zero HPI, it can be achieved as these guys have done by reducing liquidity by placing most property into the hands of a few, putting huge ownership conditions on foreign ownership and turning your population into renters. Not popular with the great British public. Houses will be cheaper, but you will not be allowed to buy one. Edited for typo. Also Switzerland varies dramatically by canton. Geneva prices are astronomical - they've risen by multiples in the last 10-15 years. They had a bubble and crash before that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromage Frais Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Either the price is already inflatedor the seller increases the price when he/she/ - (& often 'they' by the score thxs to the crazy inheritance laws) - finds out the buyer is foreign & is prepared to pay the asking price; so it must be far too cheap. Some properties are never advertised with a 'normal' EA; mine wasn't, I'm pleased to say The Portuguese never think their property is overvalued, merely that the right buyer hasn't come along. So the price wil be increased by around 5%/year regardless. The rural market can be sent into confusion & disarray if just one idiot pays a highly-inflated price. Everything else is then trebled, nothing sells, & neighbours go to their graves without selling. Med mentality I presume it comes from years of inflation so when price go up 10% each year that strategy pays off. Unfortuntately with the Euro thats not the case anymore for the time being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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