Has the age of widespread house ownership now come to an end?

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/2bu32ph

Once people got used to renting their homes, would it really be a bad thing?

Why is it that one is somehow classed inferior if they rent their home, yet it would be deemed 'one-up-man-ship' if they rented their car?

Renting could have it's advantages also, the tenant would not be responsible for repairs and general servicing of equipment..

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// It is impossible to tell if a car is rented, hired or company owned from a privately owned one.///

Since many houses are difficult to sell quite a few owners are putting their houses up for rent.

So please tell me how one can tell if a house is owed or rented.

[Gromit]

It is not renting which people turn their noses up at, it is council estates.

These are usually easy to spot (thought several houses may now be privately owned).

[craft1948]

I don't turn my nose up at council estates, I was brought up on one. Myself, and my siblings have all bought our own houses, because we could afford to do so. I thought this was the whole point of social housing.

[pastafreak]

When my ex and I split up 5 years ago,I used my share of our housse sale to buy my flat-a 3 bed-roomed maisonette. This is in Plymouth,which has never had particularly high house values compared to other areas of the South West. I paid just over 85.ooo at the time...and it was in an 'up and coming'neighbourhood,and NOT at the higher end of the market. So....I am a bit amazed at karenmacs statement about finding it difficult to see how anyone can charge £80,000 for a 2-bed.
Now....with working less hours in a area that has been badly affected by the economic down-turn...I am grateful that I do own. With what is now a quite limited income-I would not afford rent AND food in the same month.

[Sooper]

I would love to buy my own property but where im from the average 2 bedroom teraced house is approx £170/180,000 and is well out of my league as im on my own and i think i would struggle with the mortgage even i had a partner who was also was working.
The Housing Associations in my area have given many people the opportunity to have their own places with affordable Rents but with the Right to Buy option if you should want it, once you have met their requirements. There are pro's and cons to both sides i think.

[karenmac60]

Pasta, I bought a one bedroomed flat for 29,000 15 years ago. That same flat would now cost at least double that. Wages have not doubled in that time, so how are people expected to pay such exorbitant prices for basic homes? My wages at the moment are only around £10,000 p/a - how is someone in my position meant to be able to afford a property that costs 8 times my salary? There is no option for a lot of us but to rent.