| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:changes to housing policy needed. | |
| Posted by: | Mark Milligan | |
| Date/Time: | 07/01/15 11:32:00 |
| “I am not sure Thatcher created the desire to own their own homes amongst the average family but it was certainly a very popular move.” Yes of course it was a popular move but the mass hysteria to own homes coupled with greed and inflated prices is a major cause of the current problem IMHO. The bandwagon was leaped upon and there was no stopping it. To cite a few personal cases I know of. Hardworking socialist friends of ours just finished Uni had lovely council flat in Holland Park in beautiful Victorian building. Bought it from Council in ’87 for £18K and sold in ’89 for £90K. (market rate)Bought huge flat in Kingston for £110K so had to get a small mortgage. Sold 2 years later for £250K and bought 4 b/roomed house in Surbiton for £325K. Now worth £ 1.2 Mill. Husband gave up work ‘because he didn’t need to work ‘ (thanks to the idiot Mrs T he always says). Two children went to private schools because they had no mortgage. Two or three holidays a year. Now charted up 65 countries they have visited to spend their money – thanks to Mrs T. Two other friends – on dole ‘borrowed’ £22K from well off mother to buy their Council flat on Blackheath in 1990. Convenient for the Canary Wharf yuppies so market value now £550K. Two other friends bought their respective mothers’ council houses. One in Richmond for £35K – sold after 10 years for £ 680K. Bought mother a bungalow in Whitton for £330 which they ‘allow’ her to live in rent free, and a flat in Teddington for £300K which they rent out – also bought a holiday house in Dorset for £125K Other house in Fulham on the river current market value £ 850K. Not sure of what they paid the Council but I believe it was under £40K. They allowed the mother to stay in the house until she died. Sure – all these people have benefitted from Thatchers policies but I firmly believe that she created this buying frenzy and greed which leaves us with the current situation of inflated prices for bricks and mortar. And Labour & Conservative Councils are equally to blame for fixing such low prices to buy up these properties many of which are in prime locations and such low prices certainly weren’t market related or necessary. |