A lot more market-rate construction helps low-income renters more than subsidies

Re:A lot more market-rate construction helps low-income rent... by collyw on Tuesday March 24, 2015 @05:52AM (#9255631)

That's kind of obvious is it not.

Every time the UK government do something to "help first time buyers" it involves getting them into even more debt, and keeping the prices high. There are still the same number of properties around, and the same number of people competing for them. How can they honestly think this is helping in any way.

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Re:A lot more market-rate construction helps low-income rent... by chii on Tuesday March 24, 2015 @06:47AM (#9255784)

i think gov't are reluctant to introduce any policy that will cause housing prices to drop - a lot of "wealth" is locked in property, and should property prices drop, the on-paper measure of such wealth drops too (despite the fact that a house that's lived in is stable in it's "wealth" measured with utiliziation).

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Re:A lot more market-rate construction helps low-income rent... by brc on Tuesday March 24, 2015 @09:07PM (#9260669)

Sensible market release would cause markets to stagnate while new supply was introduced.

It would be impossible to build enough supply to overwhelm demand anyway if it is done realistically.

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Re:A lot more market-rate construction helps low-income rent... by collyw on Tuesday March 24, 2015 @11:58AM (#9257415)

I agree. I am fairly sure this is the only route they have open. Allowing property prices to drop would collapse the banks again.

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